Sasha's Law: No plans to review lenient sentencing bill as government respond to campaign started by sister of murder victim

A letter, dated Aug 16, said that they have no plans to remove the 28 day time limit – which campaigners said does not take into account the families’ grieving period.

The petition – started by the sister of murdered Blackpool student, Sasha Marsden, had 14,894 signatures. But she has now started a fresh campaign – hoping to get the issue debated in parliament.

The reply, sent to people who signed the petition, also states that the government are working to increase awareness of the 28 day unduly lenient sentence scheme.

The Ministry Of Justice plans to improve awareness

An excerpt from the letter, from the Ministry Of Justice, reads: “The government recognises that it is important that victims, prosecuting authorities and members of the public are aware of the ULS scheme ahead of sentencing hearings where the time limit ordinarily begins. On 1 April 2021, a new Victims’ Code came into force which includes details of the ULS scheme, making it clear to victims their right to appeal and under what circumstances the AGO may refer cases. Since 2019, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has provided information about the scheme in letters to bereaved families that are sent out after conviction.

Further changes to improve awareness are currently being undertaken. As part of work on the Victims and Prisoners Bill, we will look at the information about the ULS scheme that is provided in the Code to ensure it is as clear as possible. We are also legislating to require key criminal justice agencies, such as the police and CPS, to raise awareness of the Code among victims.”

Murder is a devastating crime

The letter describes murder as a ‘devastating’ crime and also acknowledges the need of victims’ families and loved ones to feel that justice has been served.“When a life sentence is imposed, the court has to determine the minimum period to be served in custody for the purposes of punishment and deterrence. Only when this period has been served in full may the offender be considered for release by the Parole Board under strict licence conditions, if it is satisfied that the prisoner can be safely managed in the community. Many offenders remain in prison beyond their minimum term, and some may never be released. A life sentence does, therefore, remain in force for the whole of the offender’s life and it is an indeterminate sentence under which the offender could spend their life in prison.

The ULS scheme provides a way to ensure that sentences for serious crimes can be challenged by victims, their families and members of the public if perceived to be unduly lenient. The Attorney General has the power under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 to refer a sentence to the Court of Appeal. The Court will then review the sentence and may decide to replace it with a sentence that it considers more appropriate. Referrals must be made by the Attorney General within 28 days of the date of sentence.”

Why are they campaigning for the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme to change?

Katie and her family do not think takes into consideration the grieving period, and they now want to keep fighting until the law is debated in parliament.

During a two-week murder trial, Katie recalls listening to how David Minto inflicted over 100 injuries on 16-year-old Sasha, before murdering her in a Blackpool hotel on January 31, 2013.

Sasha had been lured to a hotel thinking she was going to an interview for a part-time cleaning job.

Her body was then dumped and set alight in an alleyway behind the Grafton House Hotel, in Blackpool, where Minto lived.

The family believe the killer and rapist should have received a whole life order, and that the sentence, meaning he could be 57 when he gets out of prison, was ‘unduly lenient’.

Grief is not taken into consideration

Katie says she will fight for ‘every person who’s been stolen from this world’, and that she is doing this to help other families of murder victims who are experiencing the same grief.

“The justice system needs to acknowledge that a families grief is a thing that they need to take into consideration. Why should he have 35 years to plan for his parole when we only have 28 days to decide whether or not we want to appeal his sentence? Many people say he should be hung, but the best we can ever hope for is that he spends the rest of his life in jail.”

You can sign the petition here.