AN MP has hit out at new measures judges and magistrates will be able to consider when handing out a sentence. 

It comes after a consultation by The Sentencing Council. 

It has confirmed that as of April new rules will come in allowing mitigating circumstances to be considered which will include negative experiences of authority, being in care, poverty, and low educational attainment.

Mr Davies set out his concerns and opposed all the measures in a formal response to the consultation.

He said: “A crime is a crime and low educational attainment and poverty are not excuses to commit crimes.

“By introducing these changes, we will now see some people treated more leniently by judges and magistrates simply because they are, for example, poorer. What sort of message does that send out?”

“It is extremely patronising and an insult to all the hard-working, law-abiding people also on low incomes - some of whom will be the victims of these very crimes.”