Prime Minister backs 'Face the Family' campaign
Rishi Sunak says he supports calls for offenders to have to appear in court for their sentencing hearing
Last updated 16th Feb 2024
The Prime Minister's throwing his weight behind the 'face the family' campaign.
It is pushing for new legal powers that would require offenders to appear in court to hear their sentences, preventing them from refusing to be present.
The campaign's urging ministers to change the law so court officials have more power to ensure offenders appear in the dock.
Two weeks ago the murderer of 9-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel refused to come up from the cells, depriving her family the chance of telling him the pain he's caused.
This is by no means the first case where this has happened. Other offenders include the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi, and the murderers of Zara Aleena and Jan Mustafa in London.
The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak said: "What happened to Olivia was horrific. I have two young daughters, not very different in age, and it was just awful. My heart goes out to her family.
"You're right. The cowardly, cowardly people who are not facing up to their actions and not allowing victims families to have the justice they deserve, and the Deputy Prime Minister, the Justice Secretary, has said that he wants to change to law to make sure that they do face up to their actions in court, and when we can bring forward the legislation to do that, we will."
A petition to keep the pressure on the government to make that change is live now, you can sign it by clicking here.
To find out more about the 'Face the Family' campaign, and who is backing it click here.