Criminal law

Fact checks including justice, prisons, criminal sentencing

11 April 2022

10% of criminal barristers haven’t quit in the past year

The number of criminal barristers has stayed steady, but the number working full-time on publicly-funded cases has fallen.

Read more…
10% of criminal barristers haven’t quit in the past year
14 January 2022

Claims on ‘Colston Four’ case leave out key questions the jury had to answer

Claims that what the four defendants admitted to did legally amount to criminal damage omit key parts of the definition of the offence.

Read more…
Claims on ‘Colston Four’ case leave out key questions the jury had to answer
11 October 2021

You can still park on the pavement in Wales

The Welsh government is planning to give councils more power to fine problem parkers from July next year, but doesn’t plan to pursue an outright ban.

Read more…
You can still park on the pavement in Wales
30 March 2021

Government asylum claims based on unpublished data

The Home Office said 60% of asylum seekers entered the country illegally but this is based on unpublished statistics

Read more…
Government asylum claims based on unpublished data
24 March 2021

Burnt-out police car in Bristol protests was not fake

An image of a burnt-out police car taken during protests in Bristol is not ‘a prop’

Read more…
Burnt-out police car in Bristol protests was not fake
24 July 2020

Many children have been the victims of grooming gangs, but there’s no evidence for a figure of one million

We can’t objectively compare the public response to grooming gangs with Black Lives Matter

Read more…
Many children have been the victims of grooming gangs, but there’s no evidence for a figure of one million
18 February 2020

Justice spending is down 25% since 2010, not 40%

The government did announce a real terms reduction of 40% to the Ministry of Justice but ultimately reduced funding by 25% between 2010/11 and 2019/20.

Read more…
Justice spending is down 25% since 2010, not 40%
10 January 2020

How long do murderers serve in prison?

Over half of murderers released from prison have served between 11 and 18 years in custody.

Read more…
How long do murderers serve in prison?
11 December 2019

Usman Khan and sentencing terror offences

After the London Bridge attack, there's been a debate over how people in the UK are sentenced for terror offences, in particular Usman Khan, the attacker.

Read more…
Usman Khan and sentencing terror offences
9 October 2019

More prisoners to be released two thirds of the way through sentence than halfway

The government pledged to mandate serious criminals spending two thirds of their sentence in prison. Judges already have discretion to impose this.

Read more…
More prisoners to be released two thirds of the way through sentence than halfway

Full Fact fights bad information

Bad information ruins lives. It promotes hate, damages people’s health, and hurts democracy. You deserve better.