The maximum sentencing powers of the Crown Court & Magistrates’ Court

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“The magistrates’ court can impose a maximum of 6 month’s imprisonment for a summary only offence (unless the offence itself carries a lower penalty) and up to 6 months’ imprisonment for an either-way offence... The Crown Court can impose the maximum sentence available for any individual either-way or indictable-only offence. ”

On this page:

Maximum sentences for Summary Offences
Maximum sentences for Either-Way offences
Committal for sentence to the Crown Court
Maximum sentences for Indictable-only offences
Youth sentencing

Maximum Sentences

On this page you can read about the maximum sentencing powers available in the magistrates’ court, for summary and either-way offences, and in the Crown Court for ether-way and indictable offences.

In summary, the magistrates’ court has limited sentencing powers. The highest sentence a magistrates’ court can pass for a single offence is 6 months; imprisonment, but please note that this will change on 18 November 2024 when the magistrates’ sentencing powers increase from 6 months to 12 months for a single either-way offence. This will only apply to magistrates’ court convictions on or after 18 November 2024.

The Crown Court, by contrast, has far greater sentencing powers. The highest sentence a Crown Court can pass is a sentence of life imprisonment, but only for offences which carry a maximum sentence of life, such as murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, wounding/grievous bodily harm with intent, robbery, rape, human trafficking and a number of terrorism offences.