Public order guidelines published

The Sentencing Council has published proposed guidelines on public order offences, ranging from riots and large-scale violence by football fans down to low-level disorderly behaviour. The guidelines highlight aggravating factors such as inciting others to join in the violence as well as other factors such as damage to local communities and injuries to emergency services workers. Sentencing Council member Judge Sarah Munro said the proposed guidelines would ‘ensure that courts have comprehensive guidance for dealing with the great range of offending’. The consultation ends on 8 August.