New Sentencing Powers Announced Includes Bans from Pubs, Travel, and Football Matches

What Are The New Sentences For And What Are The Implications

The government has announced new sentencing powers that will allow judges to impose bans on pubs, concerts, sports matches, and even travel as part of community punishments. The measures, which also expand mandatory drug testing, are intended to deter reoffending and form part of the government’s Plan for Change.

Of course, as criminal defence solicitors, we recognise that these changes represent a significant shift in how sentences may impact an offender’s day-to-day freedoms — raising questions about proportionality, fairness, and enforcement.

What Are the New Powers?

Judges will be able to impose restrictions on offenders that extend beyond traditional punishments, including:

• Football, concert, and pub bans – preventing offenders from attending public gatherings
• Travel bans – restricting movement domestically or abroad
• Restriction zones – confining offenders to particular areas

These sanctions may apply not only to those sentenced in court but also to offenders released on licence and under Probation Service supervision. Offenders who breach these restrictions could face being brought back to court or returned to prison.

Expansion of Mandatory Drug Testing

Drug testing will now be extended to offenders who have no previous record of substance misuse, not just those with known drug issues. This broadens the reach of supervision and raises important legal questions about privacy and proportionality.

Defence Concerns

From a defence perspective, these new measures raise several key issues:

• Overreach of restrictions: Community sentences are intended to rehabilitate. Excessive bans may punish disproportionately and hinder reintegration.
• Risk of breach: Broad restrictions increase the likelihood of technical breaches, potentially sending offenders back to prison unnecessarily.
• Privacy and civil liberties: Expanding drug testing to those with no history of misuse may be seen as intrusive and disproportionate.
• Lack of clarity: Judges will have wide discretion, but without clear guidance these powers could be applied inconsistently across the country.

Context: Cutting Crime and Managing Prisons

The government argues that widening punishments will cut crime and keep the public safe, while reducing pressure on prisons by keeping certain offenders in the community under tight restrictions.

Alongside this, investment in probation and prison capacity is being ramped up, with £7 billion earmarked for new prison places and £700 million in additional funding for the Probation Service.

Conclusion: Balancing Safety with Fairness

There is no doubt that public safety must remain a priority. However, sentencing must also uphold the principles of fairness and proportionality. As defence lawyers, we will be carefully monitoring how these new restrictions are imposed, ensuring they do not unfairly punish offenders or undermine rehabilitation.

Ultimately, punishments should fit both the offence and the offender. While bans and restrictions may deter some, they must not become blanket measures that erode individual rights or set offenders up to fail.

How We Can Help

If you – or someone you know – faces arrest or would like to find out more about our your legal representation services – our experts are hand to help. Call us 0161 477 1121 or Message Us to speak to one of our team.