Written Question·Ministry of Justice·UIN 85771

Sexual Offences: Sentencing

Tabled: 28 October 2025
Answered: 5 November 2025

Question

Jim Shannon

Democratic Unionist Party — Strangford

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to increase sentences for people convicted of sexual offences.

Answer

Jake Richards
Sexual offences such as rape, assault by penetration, and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent already attract some of the most serious penalties under the law, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. These maximums reflect ...
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