Criminal practitioners are urged to respond. The draft guidelines on burglary for judges and magistrates propose custodial sentences of up to 13 years for aggravated burglary. Domestic burglary sentences should be up to six years – more than the four-year range proposed by the Council’s predecessor, the Sentencing Advisory Panel. It follows current sentencing practice on non-domestic burglary, suggesting a four-year range but with more focus on the non-economic harm to the victim. It also asks judges, when sentencing, to focus on the impact of burglaries on the victim as well as the culpability of the offender.

The proposals will bring burglary offences into a single guideline for Crown and magistrates’ courts, with a view to increasing the consistency of sentencing across the courts. For details go to www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk