Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
24 April 2008
SENTENCE MORE THAN DOUBLED AFTER CROWN APPEAL
The Appeal Court today more than doubled a sentence which had been imposed on a man who pled guilty to a number of housebreaking and theft charges at Inverness Sheriff Court.
The Lord Advocate had lodged an appeal against the original sentence, which was imposed by the Sheriff on 4 December 2007, on the ground that it was unduly lenient.
On 28 September 2007 Michael Shewen assaulted the Procurator Fiscal Depute in Inverness Sheriff Court when he was appearing for remand on the housebreaking and theft charges. He later pled guilty to the assault charge and was sentenced to 4 years' imprisonment.
When Shewen subsequently pled guilty to the housebreaking and theft charges, the Sheriff imposed a sentence of 14 months' imprisonment, but ordered that it should be served concurrently with the 4 year sentence, which meant that it would have made no difference in practical terms to the sentence to be served.
The Appeal Court has today increased the 14 month sentence to 32 months, and ordered that this be served consecutive to the 4 year sentence, resulting in an effective overall sentence of 6 years and 8 months.
Note to Editors
The Lord Advocate has the right of appeal against a sentence on the ground that it is unduly lenient.
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