The Sentencing Council has published a new guideline for how people convicted of fraud, money laundering and bribery should be sentenced.
It aims to provide clear guidance to judges and magistrates and will help promote a consistent approach to the sentencing of these offences in courts in England and Wales. The Council has ensured that the impact on victims is central to how offenders should be sentenced. These offences are committed by offenders for financial gain but can mean much more than financial loss to the victim; even a relatively small sum lost can leave some victims badly affected.
Publication of the guideline also marks the first time that there has been a guideline for the sentencing of money laundering. The Council recognises that this offence is an integral part of much serious crime and wants to ensure that effective guidance is in place.
In 2012, 17,926 people were sentenced for fraud, a hugely varied offence that can affect individuals, businesses, public money and charities.
- Fraud against individuals cost victims £9.1bn in 2012-3. It includes Ponzi schemes, gangs targeting people using cashpoints, cowboy builders who rip off vulnerable older people, identity fraud and internet offences like phishing, running fake online ticket sites and duping dating site and social media users.
- Private sector fraud cost business £21.2bn in 2012-3. Examples are employees claiming for bogus expenses, suppliers making fraudulent payment claims, cash for crash scams and other insurance fraud and people falsifying mortgage applications.
- Fraud targeting public money amounted to £20.6bn in 2012-3. This mainly comprises tax fraud such as income tax evasion and VAT fraud. Other examples are council tax fraud and benefit fraud.
- Fraud against the not-for-profit sector cost charities £147m in 2012-3. This may take the form of a charity employee diverting donations to their own bank account, someone conning grant funding from a charity on false pretences, or bogus charity collectors.
Link to the press release : click here
Link to the new guidelines: click here