Cathál MacPartholán considers counter-terrorism sentencing legislation and new NI Court of Appeal precedent on human rights
The Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021, which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2021, gives the courts, security services and police more powers relating to sentencing of offences convicted of terrorism offences. This latest anti-terror legislation ends the prospect of early release for those convicted of a serious terror offence. Thus, they must serve their whole tariff. On this point, many former suspects convicted of terrorism offences have renounced their involvement in terrorist-related activity, while serving their sentences. One must speculate, if the Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 (CTSA 2021) shapes to impede the rehabilitation of suspects, while serving lengthy sentences – and if so, to what end...
“The 2021 Act follows from the emergency Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) Act 2020 (TO(RER)A 2020)…”
