Sentencing under attack

The calculation of the length of prison terms came under fresh attack in the High Court yesterday from two inmates serving concurrent sentences.

Michele Evans, 22, serving two years for burglary, robbery and assault, claims 135 days she spent on remand should be deducted from her sentence instead of the 73 calculated by the Prison Service. Paul Reid, 19, is claiming credit for some 335 days.

Lawyers told the court that the current practice of taking account only of the shortest of two or more remand periods instead of the total number of days spent on remand was unlawful. Patricia Wynn Davies