'I hope it will get used and Sasha's Law will give people more power' - Katie Brett interview

Katie Brett, the sister of Sasha Marsden who was murdered in Blackpool said it was ‘nice that Sasha was being remembered for something other than what happened to her’.

Sasha’s Law, how it will be known, comes after a long campaign to give victim’s families more time to challenge sentences they believe are too lenient.

Under the changes, victims and bereaved families will have up to six months to request a review of a sentence, replacing the current 28-day limit. There will also be a statutory duty to inform victims and their families of this right.

Sasha was just 16 when she was murdered in Blackpool in 2013, and Ms Brett has campaigned for years for the change, known as Sasha’s Law.

She said: “It's nice now. People are calling it Sasha's Law. People are saying due to Sasha's Law, victims now have more rights in the justice system.”

“Now if you Google Sasha Marsden, not only will you see what happened to her, you'll see what we've done in her name. That's a positive, that's a real positive.”

Sasha had been lured to a hotel with the promise of a job before she was attacked and killed by David Minto, who was later convicted of her murder and jailed with a minimum term of 35 years.

Someone handed a life sentence can be released on licence after serving a minimum term - in Minto’s case 35 years. A whole-life order, however, means an offender will spend the rest of their life in prison, except in exceptional compassionate circumstances.

Under the law change, the time limit for victims and families to challenge prison sentences they believe are too lenient has been extended, with the time frame allowed to request a review lengthened to up to six months, replacing the current 28-day limit.

There will also be a statutory duty to inform victims and their families of this right. The reforms relate to the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, which allows cases to be referred to the Attorney General for review by the Court of Appeal.

Ms Brett said: “We just kept pushing (for the law change) it was like there was no finality for victims.

“Why do offenders still have more rights? They brought about this situation, they created it due to their own actions.

“They had all the power then and they continued to have all the power in the trial.”

“I want people to know, if you've been a victim of violent crime, and the crime that you've been a victim of is eligible under the Unjuly lenient sentence scheme, please know that you have got a right to appeal.

“You don't have to accept that sentence that was passed in court.”

The law still needs Royal Assent and although it will be officially called the Victim and Courts Bill, Katie has been told it can be called Sasha’s Law - in her memory.