Credit for Pleas - An Introduction for Criminal Lawyers

Introduction

Section 144 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 requires courts to consider the stage at which an offender pleaded guilty when deciding on credit. The new guideline for credit in relation to guilty pleas, came into force on 1 June 2017 for cases where the first hearing was after that date.

Case-law is now growing up around whether defendants are entitled to a full one-third or not, depending on what was stated in the Magistrates’ Court when the case was sent for trial.

This webinar will consider the guidelines, the Criminal Procedure Rules and the Court of Appeal guidance to give you definitive answers as to what must be indicated in the Magistrates’ Court, for a defendant to receive full credit in the Crown Court.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• What does the guideline say about credit generally - over and above simply when a defendant pleads guilty?
• What credit does your client get if they are a three-strike burglar?
• Is there any credit to be gained when in possession of a firearm/offensive weapon?
• Is there any difference relating to credit for either-way and indictable only offences?
• When must a defendant plead guilty or indicate a guilty plea to receive full credit?
• What form of words is necessary in the Magistrates’ Court - can you hedge your bets?
• What credit is there if your client is successful at a Newton hearing?
• What (if any) credit is there for pleading guilty to murder?
• What do the Criminal Procedure Rules require?
• What does the case-law from the Court of Appeal say?

This webinar was recorded on 11th March 2021