The Sentencing Council is pleased to welcome Lord Justice William Davis, who joins the Council today as Chairman.

On his appointment, Lord Justice William Davis said: “I shall be the fourth Chairman of the Sentencing Council since its inception in 2010. My predecessors – Sir Brian Leveson, Lord Justice Treacy and Lord Justice Holroyde – have created a huge legacy. I am conscious that I have much to do if I am to live up to the work they did with the Council.

“Judges and magistrates greatly value sentencing guidelines, which ensure a fair and consistent approach to sentencing. As important is the work of the Council making the sentencing process accessible and understandable to the wider public. I am looking forward to the challenge of contributing to the Council in all aspects of its work.”

Lord Justice William Davis was appointed to the Court of Appeal in October 2021, and was a judicial member of the Sentencing Council between 2012 and 2015.

After pupillage in London, Lord Justice William Davis practised at the Bar in Birmingham between 1976 and 2008. His practice consisted primarily of criminal and personal injury work. He was appointed an Assistant Recorder in 1992, a Recorder in 1995 and QC in 1998. He was head of St Philips Chambers from 2004 to 2008.

He was appointed to the Circuit Bench in 2008. In 2009 he was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge (QBD and Admin), a Senior Circuit Judge and Recorder of Birmingham. He was appointed to the High Court Bench in May 2014 and was a Presiding Judge of the Northern Circuit from 2016 to 2019.

Lord Justice William Davis has been the Judicial Lead on Youth Justice since June 2014 and was Director of Criminal Training for the Judicial College from 2014 to 2019.

His appointment to the Council, effective from 1 August 2022, was made by the Lord Chief Justice with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab, and is for an initial period of three years.