The defendant appealed a sentence of two years for contempt of court.
Held: Two years was the maximum sentence available, and that should be reserved for the offences of maximum severity. Here there was no violence, and no abuse. The defendant was of a young age, and the maximum sentence was inappropriate. A sentence of nine months was substituted. There exists a practice direction requiring 14 days notice to be given of applications for committal. If a practice had grown of ignoring the direction, that practice should be reconsidered.
Judges:
Kennedy, Gibson LJJ
Citations:
Times 15-Sep-2003, [2003] EWCA Civ 1327, Gazette 16-Oct-2003
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Cited – Hale v Tanner CA 22-Aug-2000
When attaching a power of arrest on a non-molestation order the court should consider attaching it only to that element which restricts violence or proximity rather than to any part relating to harassment. When considering sentence for a breach, the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Contempt of Court, Criminal Sentencing
Updated: 08 June 2022; Ref: scu.186082
