The Ulster Unionist Party's Justice spokesperson, Doug Beattie MC MLA, has expressed his support for the long-awaited Sentencing Bill as it reaches the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Mr Beattie emphasised that the legislation serves as a vital opening to bolster the rights of victims and rebuild public trust in the local justice system.

While noting that the bill has arrived later than originally anticipated, the UUP MLA stated his intention to ensure the legislation effectively tackles current weaknesses within the criminal justice framework. Among his key proposals is the creation of a dedicated Sentencing Council for Northern Ireland, bringing the region into line with practices in the Republic of Ireland, England, and Wales.

Doug Beattie MC MLA said: "I welcome the Sentencing Bill finally coming before the Assembly, albeit later than was first proposed. This will be an important piece of legislation, and as the Ulster Unionist Justice spokesperson, I will be focusing our efforts on the rights of victims and ensuring that the bill addresses several issues that are currently undermining confidence in our Criminal Justice System." He continued: "To improve confidence, we need more than just a review of sentence guidelines; we need a Sentencing Council for Northern Ireland in line with England, Wales, and the Irish Republic to give direction to our judiciary. Remission of sentences process needs overhauling, particularly for late guilty pleas, where presently you can plead guilty on the day your trial starts and still get up to 25% off your sentence. Given some of our most serious trials can be delayed up to three years, this is an excessive sentence discount."

Mr Beattie also advocated for mandatory ongoing professional development for the judiciary and requested that judges' final findings be made available to victims free of charge in an accessible format.

Furthermore, the spokesperson proposed a significant change to how victims receive updates regarding perpetrators. He suggested transitioning the Victims Information Scheme from its current "opt-in" model to an "opt-out" system to ensure more individuals receive timely information.

"Finally, having raised the issue of victims not being informed of issues pertaining to the perpetrator who made them a victim because they didn't sign up to the Victims Information Scheme, I will be proposing that the Victims Information Scheme moves to an opt-out system instead of an opt-in option," Mr Beattie explained. "This will mean more victims will get more information in a timely manner than they do at present."

Reflecting on previous debates, he concluded: "Many of the Ulster Unionists' proposals have already been put before the Assembly in June 2025 with our motion titled Improving Sentencing Practices in Northern Ireland, where it received support right across the chamber with no party voting against any of the proposals. It is in that spirit that we will scrutinise the Sentencing Bill over the coming months."