Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill — Clause 4 — Consideration of Alternatives to a Serious Terrorism Sentence — 21 Jul 2020 at 17:56

The majority of MPs voted not to consider options other than a serious terrorism sentence (minimum 14 years detention, plus at least 7 years on licence) for those who are aged 18-21 and are convicted of a serious terrorism offence.

MPs were considering the Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill.^[1]

The amendment rejected in this vote was:

• page 5, line 35, at end insert—
• “(7) The pre-sentence report must —
• (a) take account of the offender’s age;
• (b) consider whether options other than a serious terrorism sentence might be more effective at—
• (i) reducing the risk of serious harm to members of the public, or
• (ii) rehabilitating the offender.
• (8) The court must take account of any points made by the pre-sentence report in relation to the matters in subsection (7) and consider whether they constitute exceptional circumstances under subsection (2).”

Had it not been rejected this amendment would have added the above material to Clause 4 of the Bill which provided for a new type of sentence for serious terrorist offenders aged 18 to under 21 - a serious terrorism sentence of detention [initially] in a young offender institution, comprising of a custodial period (a minimum of 14 years) and an extension period on licence of (between 7 and 25 years). Criteria for the imposition of such a sentence include "that the offender was aware or ought to have been aware that the offending was very likely to result in or contribute to the deaths of at least two people as the result of an act of terrorism".^[2]

• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill, Parliament.uk
• [2] Explanatory notes to clause 4 of the Counter Terrorism and Sentencing Bill, Parliament.uk website

Debate in Parliament |