Margaret Beckett joins calls to increase child killer jail sentences as minister defends policy

Dame Margaret Beckett, a one time leader of the opposition, is the latest MP to call on the Government to amend existing legislation, or introduce new legislation, to increase minimum mandatory prison terms.

The former foreign secretary told the Derbyshire Times she would “support the idea of potentially increased sentencing where there is a ‘position of trust relationship, as for sexual abuse, using whatever vehicle is available - guidelines or legislative’.

Dame Margaret references existing sentencing guidelines whereby ‘position of trust’ is considered an aggravating factor in sexual abuse cases - carrying with it, by default, a greater sentence.

Dame Margaret joins Derbyshire MPs Toby Perkins and Heather Wheeler in asking for Rishi Sunak to include child killers in his revamped sentencing powers legislation expected to be introduced later this year.

READ THIS: MPs call for increased child killer sentences

But a Government whip, and former minister for safeguarding, has defended existing policy.

Amanda Solloway, MP for Derby North and minister for energy consumers and affordability, said she believed the current laws provided ‘necessary flexibility’.

She said: "As both a mother and grandmother of course my immediate reaction (to Finley Boden and Jacob Crouch’s murders) is one of horror, shock, and anger that someone could be so cruel to a child. However, especially given their position of trust, these truly are despicable crimes."

Ms Solloway added that existing legislation already places increased minimum terms on the murder of a child involving sexual abuse, abduction, or a sadistic motivation: MPs are calling on the law to incorporate those convicted of murdering their own children.

Under legislation introduced last year a whole-life order has been introduced as a starting point for premeditated murder.

Ms Solloway added: "Of course, I strongly agree with the premise that those who murder children under their duty of care should be given significant prison sentences as both a punishment and as a deterrent. The current guidelines give our judiciary discretion to consider aggravating and mitigating factors in each individual case – and duty of care is included as an aggravating factor in this framework. Therefore, I believe current sentencing guidance allow our judiciary the necessary flexibility to impose robust sentences where appropriate."

The Prime Minister has said tougher sentences, to be introduced later this year, would see “the most horrific criminals never walk free”. However the new sentencing guidelines would not automatically extend to child killers and apply only to murders committed with a sexual or sadistic motivation.

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As reported, Toby Perkins, MP for the Chesterfield constituency in which 10-month old Finley Boden was murdered by his parents, has said the public would be ‘stunned’ that the law wouldn’t have applied to Finley’s parents.

Whilst Heather Wheeler, the Conservative MP for South Derbyshire where 10-month old Jacob Crouch was killed by his step-dad, has said she will also be calling for a change in the law.

The former minister told the Derbyshire Times: “These are such heart-breaking stories – children with no way to defend themselves being grievously hurt and killed by those who should be protecting them. Yes I would be happy to see, and will call for, the introduction of an automatically increased minimum term for anyone found guilty of murdering a child.”

Toby Perkins told this paper: “It is an anomaly (that there is no increased minimum sentence for murdering a child). It will leave most people stunned and I will be writing to the Justice Secretary to ask him to include murder of your own child in these increase tariffs. If he is committed to tougher sentences and if the route to tougher sentences is through legislation then that absolutely should include those convicted of murdering children.”

As it stands a range of aggravating features can increase the minimum mandatory sentence for murder - these include use of a knife, murder of a police officer, and murder of a child where it involves abduction or sexual abuse. There is no mandatory increase for the murder of your own child.

When asked specifically if Mr Chalk had any plans to amend the law in this respect, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said they were “committed to locking the most dangerous criminals up for longer” but appeared to suggest there would be no new legislation in this respect.

Recent changes to the law have seen the minimum sentence for causing or allowing the death of a child increased from 14 years to a life imprisonment. Amanda Solloway, who served as an MP for safeguarding between July and September last year, said this “pleased” her.

Mr Perkins, shadow minister for apprenticeships and lifelong learning, said this demonstrated that the Government could change existing legislation - and that they should do so to ensure “life means life when it comes to those convicted of murdering children”.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice told the Derbyshire Times: “This Government is committed to locking the most dangerous criminals up for longer, to protect the public and deliver the justice that the public expects.

“Since 2010 average sentence lengths have risen by 56 per cent and we have introduced tougher punishments for the worst offenders to keep the public safe – including extending whole-life orders to premeditated child murderers and increasing the maximum sentence for causing or allowing the death of a child to life.”