Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Create powers to increase sentences where a defendant refuses to attend court
Closed
67 signatures
What the petition asks
Where a defendant is in custody but refuses to attend court, we want the courts to be given powers to increase any sentence applied.
By refusing to attend court defendants are refusing to face the consequences of their actions. We believe this is an insult to the court and victims.
If a defendant refuses to attend court then judges should have the power to add a penalty term for non-appearance of up to 5 years dependant on the offence.
If a defendant refuses to attend court then judges should have the power to add a penalty term for non-appearance of up to 5 years dependant on the offence.
Timeline
| 5 Apr 2023 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 5 Oct 2023 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
67
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
5 Apr 2023
Closed
5 Oct 2023
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.