More jail time for riot burglars

13/10/11
By Emma McFarnon

Judges will have the power to hand out more serious jail sentences to criminals who burgle shops or homes during riots.

Guidelines issued to judges have been altered in the aftermath of the summer riots, when tough sentences sparked concerns that courts were acting above and beyond the standard rules.

Those who burgled during the riots received on average a sentence of 14.1 months in prison, compared to the 8.8 months handed out last year.

Ministry of Justice figures also show that those responsible for domestic burglaries were dealt sentences of up to two years during the riots, whereas those guilty of the crime outside of the riots received a 26-week jail sentence.

Sentences for non-domestic burglaries increased from 18 to 51 weeks in prison.

The Sentencing Council, which aims to promote greater consistency among judges in England and Wales, said the guidelines were changed after the riots to make the context of general public disorder an aggravating factor in future burglaries.