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Criminals could be forced to attend sentencing hearings if new rules reportedly being considered by the Ministry of Justice are brought in.<\/p>\n
The regulations are apparently being considered after the killer of Sabina Nessa<\/a> refused to hear his sentencing verdict at the Old Bailey on 7 April.<\/p>\n The schoolteacher, 28, was murdered in a park in south-east London by 36-year-old garage worker Koci Selamaj. He was jailed for a minimum of 36 years for<\/a> the crime, but was not there to hear the judgment, or impact statements from the victim\u2019s family.<\/p>\n Nessa\u2019s sister, Jabina Nessa, called Selemaj a coward<\/a> for \u201cnot facing up to your responsibility and for what damage you have done to our family\u201d.<\/p>\n The Sun<\/a> quoted a government source as saying that the justice secretary, Dominic Raab, is looking into the policy change \u201cvery carefully\u201d.<\/p>\n A government source confirmed to the Guardian that the plans were being considered. They said: \u201cHe has increased funding for victims by 85% and pushed forward the victims\u2019 law because he believes victims should always be at the heart of the justice system.\u201d<\/p>\n Steve Reed, Labour\u2019s shadow justice secretary, echoed the sentiment.<\/p>\n \u201cJudges need the power to force offenders to literally face justice in court, instead of refusing to attend court and causing more unimaginable grief to victims,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Shadow prisons minister Ellie Reeves told Times Radio: \u201cVictims aren\u2019t at the heart of the criminal justice system.\u201d<\/p>\n She said Labour wants judges to be able to hold criminals in \u201ccontempt of court\u201d if they refuse to attend their sentencing in order to shift the balance \u201cback to victims from the perpetrators of crime\u201d.<\/p>\n People \u201cwant to see those who have committed horrendous crimes to be held to account for what they have done,\u201d she said. \u201cWe haven\u2019t even got a victims\u2019 code on a statutory footing in this country \u2013 we have been promised it time and time again.\u201d<\/p>\n