The Sentencing Council has launched a consultation on new sentencing guidelines for offenders convicted of blackmail, kidnap or false imprisonment.

The proposed guidelines will ensure judges in England and Wales are able to take a consistent approach when sentencing these offences, which can range in severity and can cause serious harm to victims.

These will be the first dedicated sentencing guidelines for these offences. Currently, courts sentencing such cases will follow case law that has developed over time to sentence the offences and the Council’s General guideline, which provides guidance to judges when sentencing offences for which there is no relevant offence-specific guideline.

The Council is seeking views on the draft guidelines from the judiciary, legal professionals who use the guidelines, and organisations or members of the public with an interest in this area. The consultation runs from 31 January 2024 to 24 April 2024.