Clause 98
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill
6:45 pm
Vernon Coaker (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Gedling, Labour)
I did not mean to rebuke the hon. and learned Gentleman—far be it from me to attempt to do that. I cannot possible imagine every circumstance that might come before the court. I repeat the point that I made earlier. If the offence was as trivial as that which the hon. and learned Gentleman has just described, we would not expect the court to impose a five-year sentence. I am sure that he would not do that in the courts in which he acts as a recorder, even if the power were available to him. I cannot envisage all the circumstances, but I repeat that the period is of up to five years.