Legislation – Sentencing Act 2020

New Search

Introduction

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE A1 Offences where terrorist connection not required to be considered

SCHEDULE 1 Offences committed before the commencement of section 1 of the Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021
where terrorist connection to be considered

SCHEDULE 2 Order for conditional discharge: commission of further offence

SCHEDULE 3 Youth offender contract: programme of behaviour

SCHEDULE 4 Referral order: further court proceedings

SCHEDULE 5 Breach, revocation and amendment of reparation order

SCHEDULE 6 Youth rehabilitation orders: requirements

SCHEDULE 7 Breach, revocation or amendment of youth rehabilitation order

SCHEDULE 8 Transfer of youth rehabilitation orders to Northern Ireland

SCHEDULE 9 Community orders and suspended sentence orders: requirements

SCHEDULE 10 Breach, revocation or amendment of community order

SCHEDULE 11 Transfer of community orders to Scotland or Northern Ireland

SCHEDULE 12 Detention and training order: breach of supervision requirements and further offences

SCHEDULE 13 Special sentence for offenders of particular concern: offences

SCHEDULE 14 Extended sentences: the earlier offence condition: offences

SCHEDULE 15 Life sentence for second offence: listed offences

SCHEDULE 16 Breach or amendment of suspended sentence order, and effect of further conviction

SCHEDULE 17 Transfer of suspended sentence orders to Scotland or Northern Ireland

SCHEDULE 17A Serious terrorism offences

SCHEDULE 18 Specified offences for purposes of section 306

SCHEDULE 19 Schedule 19 offences

SCHEDULE 20 Detention under section 250 and minimum sentences: firearms offences

SCHEDULE 21 Determination of minimum term in relation to mandatory life sentence for murder etc

SCHEDULE 22 Amendments of the Sentencing Code and related amendments of other legislation

SCHEDULE 23 Powers to amend the Sentencing Code

SCHEDULE 24 Consequential amendments

SCHEDULE 25 Amendments to the Armed Forces Act 2006

SCHEDULE 26 Further amendments of the Armed Forces Act 2006

SCHEDULE 27 Transitional provisions and savings

SCHEDULE 28 Repeals and revocations

SCHEDULE 29 Repeals and revocations for England and Wales

Changes to legislation:

Sentencing Act 2020, Paragraph 9 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 19 April 2026. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.


View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to Schedule 21 Paragraph 9:

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 21Determination of minimum term in relation to mandatory life sentence for murder etc

Aggravating and mitigating factors

9

Aggravating factors (additional to those mentioned in paragraphs 2(2), 3(2) and 4(2)) that may be relevant to the offence of murder include—

(a)

a significant degree of planning or premeditation,

(b)

the fact that the victim was particularly vulnerable because of age or disability,

F1(ba)

where the offence was committed on or after the day on which the Sentencing Act 2020 (Amendment of Schedule 21) Regulations 2024 came into force, the fact that the offender had repeatedly or continuously engaged in behaviour towards the victim that was controlling or coercive and, at the time of the behaviour, the offender and the victim were personally connected within the meaning of section 76(6) to (7) of the Serious Crime Act 2015,

F2(bb)

where the offence was committed on or after the day on which the Sentencing Act 2020 (Amendment of Schedule 21) Regulations 2025 came into force, the fact that the murder was connected with—

(i)

the end of the offender’s intimate personal relationship with the victim,

(ii)

the victim intending to bring about the end of that intimate personal relationship, or

(iii)

a belief by the offender as to a thing mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) or (ii),

(c)

mental or physical suffering inflicted on the victim before death,

F3(ca)

where the offence was committed on or after the day on which the Sentencing Act 2020 (Amendment of Schedule 21) Regulations 2025 came into force, the fact that the murder involved strangulation, suffocation or asphyxiation,

(d)

the abuse of a position of trust,

(e)

the use of duress or threats against another person to facilitate the commission of the offence,

(f)

the fact that victim was providing a public service or performing a public duty, F4…

F5(fa)

where the offence was committed on or after the day on which the Sentencing Act 2020 (Amendment of Schedule 21) Regulations 2024 came into force, the use of sustained and excessive violence towards the victim, and

(g)

concealment, destruction or dismemberment of the body.