Please see important sentencing guidelines published today for Breach offences .
Publication of the Sentencing Council’s definitive sentencing guidelines on Breach
The Sentencing Council has today published definitive guidelines on Breach offences in accordance with section 120 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.  The guidelines will come into force on 1 October 2018.
The package includes ten guidelines covering the following breaches: breach of community orders, suspended sentences and post-sentence supervision; failure to surrender to bail; breach of protective orders, criminal behaviour orders, sexual harm prevention orders, failing to comply with notification requirements (sex offenders); breach of disqualification from acting as a director and breach of disqualification from keeping an animal.
Sentencing of breaches can be a particularly difficult exercise for sentencers, and one which it is necessary to undertake far too regularly. The harm present in a breach can extend to individuals or groups an order may be designed to protect, as well as to the wider criminal justice system where an order of the court and public confidence in sentencing is undermined.
The definitive guidelines have been produced following a process of research, analysis and public consultation.  As ever, with Sentencing Council consultations, the views of our consultees were carefully considered and were invaluable in shaping these final guidelines.
 
The guidelines are available to download from our website - www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk. Alongside the guidelines, we have published a response document which sets out the changes that have been made since the consultation, as well as a resource assessment.
 
 
Best wishes
 
Steve
 
Steve Wade
Head of the Office of the Sentencing Council