Mike Amesbury was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail for assault but is still being paid his Commons salary
The crime and policing bill creates 18 new offences, and includes three measures that could lead to people getting longer sentencing for existing offenders. In her interview on the Today programme, Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, was asked how this was consistent with the Ministry of Justice’s attempts to limit the use of custodial sentences, because the jails are full.
Cooper said that, although the bill will increase sentencing powers in some areas, like child grooming, other measures in it could reduce the jail population. She said:
There are some of the measures that we think also by taking early prevention action actually can help prevent crimes escalating and can prevent prison sentences.
