Approaches to a judge seeking an indication of the length of sentence which could be imposed in the event of a plea of guilty were to be deprecated. Where such an indication was given and conveyed to the defendant it would normally be binding not only on the judge who gave the indication but also on any other judge before whom the defendant might appear to be sentenced. Where the defendant changed her plea in light of the indication but had been subjected to a more severe sentence than indicated, the Court of Appeal would often but not invariably feel constrained to reduce the sentence to that indicated.

CA (Crim Div) (Klevan J, Gray J)

29/03/1999