Parliament passes reforms that prevent courts from considering character references when sentencing people convicted of sexual assault. The change aims to reduce the ability of defendants to rely on references that may portray them positively despite the conviction. Reporting across multiple outlets says the reforms are framed as an update to how sentencing factors are applied in sexual assault cases, limiting judicial reliance on character material.
All sources describe the legislative changes as moving through parliament and being enacted after earlier debate, with some character references no longer eligible to be taken into account for sentencing. While the outlets agree on the core effect—character references cannot be relied on by sexual assault offenders during sentencing—they also note that further work remains. The government is described as pursuing additional measures beyond the current law, indicating the issue is not considered fully resolved.
Overall, the articles present the development as part of ongoing efforts to tighten sentencing practices in sexual violence matters, with the specific limitation focused on character references.
