Member

I hope this series of amendments will help illustrate how the Bill could properly operate in practice, so that a repeat offender with a history of failing to comply with court orders could commit an assault or drug-related offence and not simply assume that he will, under these provisions, receive a suspended sentence but expect a custodial sentence. If such an offender were to be given a suspended sentence, he would have to be managed by an already overstretched Probation Service. Having remained in the community, he may even be eligible for early release if the probation officer exercises his apparent newfound powers of early termination. That is not a justice system that will engage the public’s support. It is a systemic failure. These amendments are designed to prevent just such an eventuality.