General Article Sentencing guideline for drug offences comes into force

Topic Selected: Drugs
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The Sentencing Council’s guideline brings sentencing guidance together for the first time to help ensure consistent and proportionate sentencing and provide effective guidance for sentencers and clear information for victims, witnesses and the public on how drug offenders are sentenced.

The Sentencing Council has also produced several sentencing scenarios to familiarise sentencers with the guideline’s approach and process.


Possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply it to another (Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 section 5[3])

Louise is an 18-year-old pupil at a college. She is arrested in the school grounds by police and is charged with possession with intent to supply cannabis. She is found with 24 plastic bags in her rucksack, each containing 5g of cannabis, in total 120g of cannabis.

When the police interview Louise she says that the cannabis is for her friends. She fully co-operates with police, stating that her uncle had supplied her with the drugs for her to sell on to ...

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