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R v Docherty: Supreme Court confirms lex mitior under Article 7 ECHR; IPP transitional sentencing lawful post-abolition; Article 14 challenge fails (England and Wales)

Published on: 04 January 2017

Published by a LexisNexis Corporate Crime expert
Legal News
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Article summary

Original news

R v Docherty [2016] UKSC 62, [2016] All ER (D) 72 (Dec). The Supreme Court rejected the appellant’s challenge to an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection (IPP). The IPP had been imposed pursuant to transitional provisions capturing offenders convicted before the sentence was abolished, even though they were sentenced afterwards. The court concluded that this arrangement did not breach ECHR, art 7.

What is the significance of this case for practitioners?

Before this ruling, appellate engagement with ECHR, art 7 in this country was sparse. This is the only domestic authority to examine the lex mitior principle (the rule that, if after an offender has committed an offence, the law introduces a lighter penalty, the offender should receive that more lenient punishment). Its importance was marked by the secretary of state being allowed to intervene. The judgment offers guidance, articulates key principles, and surveys the law on the commencement of criminal sentencing legislation and on the application of lex mitior in this jurisdiction. It also considers sentencing for ‘historic’...

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