Child sex offenders top list for increased sentences

Twenty-three child sex offenders had their sentences increased in England and Wales last year, new figures show.

Under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme, anyone can ask for a crown court sentence to be reviewed if they think it is too short.

Data released by the Attorney General's office shows officials were asked to look at almost 1,200 cases in 2022.

Of these, 139 were reconsidered by the Court of Appeal and, as result, 95 people were given longer sentences.

Among those to receive longer sentences were 23 child sex offenders.

Sentences were also increased for 10 rapists and for seven convicted criminals in cases involving grievous bodily harm.

The biggest increase was handed to Semi Lave. In February 2022, Lave, from Wiltshire, was sentenced to 15 years in jail for raping and sexually abusing two children between 2015 and 2020. Both children were threatened with violence and physically abused.

That April, the Court of Appeal found Lave's 15-year sentence was unduly lenient, ordering that it be increased to 24 years. It also said his period on licence, when he is eventually freed under restrictions, should be extended to six years.

Child sex offender, Lee Gibson, from Derby, who began abusing a girl when she was under 13, had his sentence increased from 16-and-a-half years to 23.

And former BBC Radio 1 DJ Mark Page, from Teesside, had six years added to his original 12-year sentence. He was convicted of trying to arrange sexual encounters with children in the Philippines.

Only one person needs to ask for a sentence to be reviewed. The scheme has been extended in recent years to cover more terror and sexual offences as well as those crimes on the original list, which included murder, manslaughter, rape and robbery.

Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC said: "Being a victim of crime can leave life-long emotional scars and some of society's most dangerous offenders, including child sexual predators and violent criminals, saw their sentences increased in 2022.

"As the statistics show, the vast majority of offenders are sentenced appropriately. However, the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme provides a vital safeguard to ensure that there is confidence in our sentence regime."