NO Bradford criminals have had their punishments increased last year under a scheme that allows people to challenge a sentence if they think it seems too low.

The Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme allows victims, members of the public and prosecutors to ask for sentences covered under the scheme to be reviewed within 28 days of the court date.

If deemed too low, the Attorney General can ask the Court of Appeal to review the sentence with a view to increasing it.

The statistics show that in 2020, there have been a total of 724 applications under the scheme nationally with 72 referred to the court of appeal. Then in 29 of those cases the original sentence was increased.

For Bradford the data shows there were a total of eight challenges. with one not classed as being in the scheme and the remaining seven not being referred on further - so the sentence remained the same.

The types of offences covered included death by dangerous driving, manslaughter, child cruelty, robbery and sexual activity with a child.

Shipley MP Philip Davies told the Telegraph & Argus that while the scheme was a good one, it was not something everyone was aware of and he called for the the timeframe for applications to be extended.

"I do think it is a good scheme, but I also think it's a bit too much of a secret - many people won't even know it exists. One of the key things is about more awareness of the scheme itself."

He did add that it was also good that anyone could challenge a sentence, as long as it was for an offence covered by the scheme - and that which crimes were included could also lead to confusion.

He also said that he had previously made calls for the 28-day deadline to be extended to 90 days, to give people more time to find out about the scheme and prepare their application.

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Most recently the five years and four months sentence for 64-year-old Bradford child sex offender, Ahmed Thakar, was challenged unsuccessfully. Thakar, of Cleckheaton Road, was jailed in November at Bradford Crown Court, with the court hearing that he exploited a vulnerable child by having sex with her.

The previous month a bid to increase the sentence of a man who disguised himself as a delivery driver to carry out a terrifying attack on his ex-partner, failed. Mohammed Amir Ali, 31, of Holly Street, Blackburn, wore a mask and gloves to bring a parcel to the door of the Bradford property, before forcing her into the living room. He was jailed for three years in October,

In October, killer Sean Holt's sentence for manslaughter was challenged, but the case was not referred on so his sentence stayed the same. Holt, 31, of Vivien Road, Lower Grange was sentenced to three years at Bradford Crown Court. His victim, Paul McTasney, 38, died in hospital hours after suffering a serious head injury in the incident which took place in the early hours of May 9.

In September, the five year sentence for robbery and unlawful wounding of Lee Hirst, was not increased. Hirst, 30, of Strensall Green, Buttershaw, pleaded guilty to the robbery in 2018 and a separate unlawful wounding in May.

It was announced in 2019 that more offences were added to the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme as part of work to make sure the punishment fitted the severity of certain crimes.

Murder, robbery and terror offences, were already among the crimes considered as part of the scheme. The Government said last summer that victims of stalking, harassment, child sexual abuse and other sex crimes would be able to challenge the sentence given to their perpetrators under the extended scheme.