A new landmark ruling will allow greater numbers of domestic abuse survivors to request longer sentences for their abusers.
Confirmed by ministers on Tuesday 17th September, the new plans will see the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme, which has been in place for 30 years, extended to 14 new offences.
The ULS scheme gives anyone - both victims and public alike - the right to ask the Attorney General to consider referring a sentence to the Court of Appeal for consideration, whereby it can be increased if it's deemed too lenient (read: short).
Historically, the ULS applied to offences such as murder, robbery, and a range of terror offences. However, this list has now been extended to include a wider range of crimes including stalking, harassment, and a range of sex offences.
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The Ministry of Justice said controlling and coercive behaviour will be covered as well as having indecent child images and abuse by a person in a position of trust.
Adina Claire, Acting Co-Chief Executive of Women's Aid, said the charity were happy with the changes.
"We welcome the inclusion of coercive control in the extended Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, together with other offences routinely committed by perpetrators of domestic abuse," she says.
"We know that justice is all too often not served for perpetrators of domestic abuse. Lenient sentences are handed down time and again for serious domestic abuse offences that can leave survivors with life-long physical and mental injuries."
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Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, said: "We are determined that those found guilty of heinous crimes such as child sex offences receive the sentences their actions warrant."
He added: "Sentences are decided by our independent judiciary based on the facts before them, but it is absolutely right that victims have a voice in the system when punishments don't appear to fit the crime.
"We are today sending a clear message that this government will use every tool at its disposal to make sure justice is done and the public is kept safe."
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The Solicitor General, Michael Ellis QC MP, said: "The Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme can bring comfort to victims and their families across the country. The latest extension means that the Attorney General and I can look at even more sentences which look like they don't fit the crime.
"Anyone can apply to the scheme and although there is a high bar to any appeal we will do everything we can to challenge a sentence that we regard to be clearly wrong."
In July, such an intervention increased the prison sentence of a mother who allowed her partner to rape her daughter from three to five years.
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