Judges urged to use legal powers to drag cowardly criminals into docks to face sentencing
JUDGES have been urged to use existing powers to drag criminals into the dock to face sentencing.
The call follows Thomas Cashman’s refusal to appear in court as his 42-year jail term for shooting dead Olivia Pratt-Korbel, nine, was read out.
Prison union chief Mark Fairhurst accused Justice Secretary Dominic Raab of dragging his feet by planning an unnecessary law forcing lags to hear their fate in person.
The Prison Officers’ Association chairman insisted: “We’ve always had that power. It’s entirely down to the judge.
“We don’t need that law. If the judge says, ‘I want them in front of me now’ they’ll get dragged from the cells into the dock. That’s always been within the gift of the judge.
“If the judge wants them we’ll drag them there . . . we’ll cuff them.
“When I’m on duty as a prison officer I’ve got all the powers, privileges and protection of a police constable.
“No matter what it takes that defendant will be in the dock in front of the judge.”
Last week’s refusal by Cashman, 34, to appear for sentencing at Manchester crown court is the latest in a series of similar cases.
They include Manchester Arena murderer Hashem Abedi in 2020 and Milly Dowler killer Levi Bellfield in 2011.
Mr Raab committed to changing the law when Jordan McSweeney, 29, failed to attend court to hear his 38-year term for killing Zara Aleena, 35, in East London last year.
The tragic aspiring lawyer’s aunt Farah Naz said criminals should be forced to spend longer in jail if they refuse to appear in court to hear their sentence in person.