Offences requiring at least a Minimum Term in custody

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Mandatory minimum term sentences
Mandatory minimum terms apply in a number of circumstances. These include a third conviction for domestic burglary; a third conviction for a Class A Drug Trafficking offence; a conviction for certain firearms offences; a conviction for making threats with an offensive weapon or bladed article; and a second conviction for possessing an offensive weapon or bladed article.

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  • Three strikes for Domestic Burglary - 3 years

  • Three strikes for Class A Drug Trafficking - 7 years

  • Firearms Offences - 5 years

  • Threats with an Offensive Weapon - 6 months

  • Two Offensive Weapon offences - 6 months


Minimum terms required by law

In certain circumstances judges are required to pass particular types of sentence; for example, a defendant convicted of murder must receive a life sentence. Another example of this is where judges are required by law to pass custodial sentences with a minimum term. 

Mandatory minimum terms apply in a number of circumstances. These include a third conviction for domestic burglary; a third conviction for a Class A Drug Trafficking offence; a conviction for certain firearms offences; a conviction for making threats with an offensive weapon or bladed article; and a second conviction for possessing an offensive weapon or bladed article.

You can read more about each of these below:

Three Stikes Domestic Burglary - Minimum 3 years

Defence-Barrister.co.uk | Making Sense of the Criminal Courts

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