New Drug Sentencing Guidelines

[DAN2IG]

Drug Offences Definitive Guideline


http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.g...line_(web).pdf

[GBK]

Excellent read,Anonymiss posted the last one,had me glued to the screen.

[mattmoo]

Intresting read

[mrscott]

Good stuff but at the moment they are just guidelines.
Could do better imo.

[Grandad]

well thats a slap on the wrist for me if i'm caught with my 2 plants at their estimate of 40g per plant(luckily i get 10 times that from each of them)

[GrassHopper]

Good stuff but at the moment they are just guidelines.
Could do better imo.

They are guidelines that are 'in force' (for want of a better term) for JPs and other sentencers to use as of 27th Feb. You imply they are a temporary thing and will change - they won't, not for at least another decade.

They are actually better than I had anticipated. I can safely say I'm not going prison if I get busted again. That is music to my ears. Let's hope Sir Richard can talk them into legalising it today lol

[Alterego420]

I think I've missed something as I really don't see these guidelines as good news. Seems that all offences related to cultivation carry custodial sentences as the starting point.

For instance. You get caught with six plants in a small tent set up. You would be seen as the Leading Role, Category 4 cultivation of a Class B drug. The starting point for sentencing is one year inside and the scope for sentencing is from High Level community order to three years inside.

How is that good ? What did I miss ?

[cocogrower]

I'd like to know in what way they plan to accept Cannabis use on medical grounds in the courts, Is it just for people who're terminally ill?

I hope there will be more light shed on this soon.

[GrassHopper]

I think I've missed something as I really don't see these guidelines as good news. Seems that all offences related to cultivation carry custodial sentences as the starting point.

For instance. You get caught with six plants in a small tent set up. You would be seen as the Leading Role, Category 4 cultivation of a Class B drug. The starting point for sentencing is one year inside and the scope for sentencing is from High Level community order to three years inside.

How is that good ? What did I miss ?

You would be 'Lesser Role' not Leading Role. You would only be Leading role in a multi-person operation.

I'd like to know in what way they plan to accept Cannabis use on medical grounds in the courts, Is it just for people who're terminally ill?

I hope there will be more light shed on this soon.

I think that was stated by Peter Reynolds on CLEAR, I guess he got that bit wrong. They're not accepting for using cannabis for medical reasons as a mitigation. The mitigation and adjustment in sentence is for those who are ill in general. That's how I see it anyways

[cocogrower]

I think that was stated by Peter Reynolds on CLEAR, I guess he got that bit wrong. They're not accepting for using cannabis for medical reasons as a mitigation. The mitigation and adjustment in sentence is for those who are ill in general. That's how I see it anyways

I hope not , Anything that lieing piece of turd PR says needs to be taken with a whole bucket load of Salt imo.

The sentencing council also spells out explicitly, for the first time, that the medical use of cannabis for serious conditions should be recognised by the courts as a mitigating factor when sentencing offenders.

Guardian

[GrassHopper]

I've missed that bit. I shall have to read it all properly.

[GrassHopper]

Well I think the Guardian have got it wrong to be honest, I could be wrong like but as far as I can see the only mitigation relating to illness is:

Serious medical conditions requiring urgent, intensive or long-term treatment

Which doesn't mean using Cannabis for medicinal use

[Alterego420]

You would be 'Lesser Role' not Leading Role. You would only be Leading role in a multi-person operation.




I think that was stated by Peter Reynolds on CLEAR, I guess he got that bit wrong. They're not accepting for using cannabis for medical reasons as a mitigation. The mitigation and adjustment in sentence is for those who are ill in general. That's how I see it anyways

Ah, ok. I assumed Leading Role as you would be 'the' role then failed to read the rest properly Well, that's a weight off then, cheers.

[Mr_Bimble]

OK - I've read all the documents on the web page and the one linked here isn't the best one but put in simple terms.

Page 18.

A person growing less than nine plants where there is no evidence of supply (that includes sharing with partner) where you have taken care to keep it away from minors & have no previous drug record should be "lesser role category 4" case so a class-C fine or CS. Even if they said you were a "significant role" then that's more CS and maybe 26 weeks inside (which would probably be suspended).

Also they have set a base-line that each cannabis plant would produce 40g of weed so you could argue each plant is worth only £400 when the magical crop valuation turns up.

However I see a bigger problem back on Page-11.

Possession even if you're the "lesser role" if you have more than 100g of cannabis then you bounced up a step on the penalties and could end up with 26 weeks bird - my last three grows have busted this figure by 3-4 times over on their own...

All the documents are on this page http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.g...guidelines.htm

This guideline on drug offences applies to all offenders aged 18 and over regardless of the date of their offence and comes into effect from 27 February 2012.

The full version is the best reading matter and the one that lists the responses has some pretty interesting quotes from organisations involved.

But most of all I'm dissapointed so few public members wrote in - 486 and I was two of them, this was a perfect time to get the message accross that drug possession for personal use should not be a criminal offence (like in Portugal) we may not be able to get MP's to change the drug laws but more people should had tried to influence what happens when you get caught.

Anyway - fuck em all, I've just popped some more beens in to soak overnight (less than 9 though, just to be safe).

[tastyweat]

They say in media that each complaint represents 10-50,000 people... So 500 with the balls = 500,000 - 2,500,000

[Chilled]

I think that this is pretty good. I think Mr Bimble has made a really valid point regarding the possession of 100g resulting in prision but in my opinion this document will hopefully be the start of the government refocusing where to police, as when you have a debt of 65% of your gross demestic product (GDP) as the UK does, you need to save money in places. Prisions and policing are two great ones to reduce as they cost a lot!!

Hopefully less small grows will get busted and just let of with a caution, maybe while the law will never change we might see an informal decriminalization? Well thats what I hope anyway!

[Anonymiss]

I figure may as well leave these here as well as in the other thread...



The information below also covers Production of a Controlled Drug, which is why it contains references to other drugs.

[Friday]

Cheers miss.
Very interesting read - good to know wot the guide line are which they are post to use.

[Mr_Bimble]

Also be aware that these only apply to English magistrate & crown courts.

[Vlad the Inhaler]

I think that this is pretty good. I think Mr Bimble has made a really valid point regarding the possession of 100g resulting in prision but in my opinion this document will hopefully be the start of the government refocusing where to police, as when you have a debt of 65% of your gross demestic product (GDP) as the UK does, you need to save money in places. Prisions and policing are two great ones to reduce as they cost a lot!!

Hopefully less small grows will get busted and just let of with a caution, maybe while the law will never change we might see an informal decriminalization? Well thats what I hope anyway!

I'm with you on this mate.... I did like the bit about people supplying friends for no profit too. Nothing's gonna really change.... Look at the criminal justice act! That did fook all!!!