EIGHT offenders in the North-East received longer spells behind bars under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme, last year.

Figures for cases heard in 2016 revealed by the Attorney General’s Office reflects that more victims and their families are getting the justice they feel is merited, than ever before.

Under the ULS scheme, victims of crime and members of the public can ask for certain sentences to be reviewed.

The Attorney, or Solicitor General, then asks the Court of Appeal to review the sentence to have it increased, if it is thought the original court made an error in sentencing.

Ten cases heard at either Newcastle or Teesside crown courts in 2016 were sent to the Court of Appeal because the Attorney or Solicitor thought the sentences were too low.

In the cases of eight of those offenders, the Court of Appeal increased the sentences, including two non-custodial community sentences which were replaced with prison terms, one of them relating to a sexual offence.

In total, offenders in those cases in the region will serve an additional 20 years in custody as a result.

The sentences of the remaining two offenders which were challenged were unchanged by the Court of Appeal.

Speaking about the effect of the scheme, The Attorney General, the MP Jeremy Wright QC, said: “The ULS scheme allows victims of crime, their families and the public to challenge sentences that they believe are too low, and last year we saw a record number of sentences increased.

“A sentencing exercise is not an exact science and in the vast majority of cases, judges get it right.

“The scheme is available to ensure that the Solicitor General and I can independently review those cases where there may have been an error in the sentencing decision.”

One of the North-East cases involved the trio of offenders accused of causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable person and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

It related to the death of 24-year-old Lee Irving, from Newcastle, who suffered learning disabilities from childhood.

Julie Mills and Nicole Lawrence were said to be aware of the violence Mr Irving was being subjected to by his killer, James Wheatley, but were said to have done nothing to prevent the attacks or seek the medical assistance he urgently required.

Following the referral to the Court of Appeal, Wheatley’s mother, 52-year-old Mills, had her eight-year sentence increased to ten years in prison, while Lawrence, 22, his girlfriend at the time, who was originally sentenced to four years in prison, is now serving a seven-year sentence.

The three-year sentence imposed on the third man convicted of the same offences, 35-year-old lodger Barry Imray, remained unchanged after the referral.

Wheatley, 29, was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years’ behind bars.

Offences covered by the scheme include the most serious cases considered by crown courts in England and Wales, including murder, manslaughter, rape and other serious sexual offences.

But, from Tuesday August 8, the scheme will be extended to cover an additional 19 terror-related offences, including supporting extremist organisations, encouraging acts of terror, or failing to disclose information about a terrorist attack.

It is considered a first step to extending the scheme even further.

The progress of referrals made to the Attorney General’s Office can be viewed via www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/outcome-of-unduly-lenient-sentence-referrals, its website.