— This significantly revised guideline aims to make sure that the courts have comprehensive information on the offender, offence and sentencing options. It places greater emphasis on pre-sentence reports (PSRs), provides more information on requirements of community and suspended sentence orders, and has extra information about specific circumstances. The guidance on when a pre-sentence report will normally be considered necessary might be modified on the recommendation of the Justice Secretary (as to treat differently the cohort of people "from an ethnic minority, cultural minority, and/or faith minority community" would be to create a "two-tier" sentencing approach) but the following is likely to remain: "Or if the court considers that one or more of the following may apply to the offender: has disclosed they are transgender; has or may have any addiction issues; has or may have a serious chronic medical condition or physical disability, or mental ill health, learning disabilities (including developmental disorders and neurodiverse conditions) or brain injury/damage".
Full details available at: https://www.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/Sentencing_Council,_%27Imposition_of_community_and_custodial_sentences_-_Effective_from_1_April_2025%27_(5_March_2025)?id=060325-0935