Sentencing guideline reforms in Guernsey and Barbados

Government officials in Guernsey and Barbados are pursuing reforms to their respective sentencing guidelines.

In Guernsey, Home Affairs President Marc Leadbeater has prioritized an independent review of sentencing to take a ‘holistic approach to justice’. This process includes a public consultation, though officials noted that sentencing remains a matter for the courts.

In Barbados, legislative efforts are focused on the Penal System Reform (Amendment) Bill. Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley has advocated for tougher guidelines regarding firearm and sexual offences, suggesting that firearm possession should often result in custodial sentences rather than fines.

Further debate in the Barbados House of Assembly has highlighted that the bill seeks to resolve a 26-year contradiction in existing laws. Currently, conflicting subsections prevent courts from consistently weighing past convictions. The proposed amendment would grant judges greater flexibility to consider previous convictions only when they are ‘directly relevant’ to the current offence, such as repeat fraud or violence, while ensuring juries still disregard criminal records during the trial phase to determine guilt.