England: Acid attackers to face harsher sentences

The classification appears in the latest advice from the Sentencing Council for England and Wales, but was absent from a draft published in October.

The new guidance states: “An offensive weapon is defined in legislation as ‘any article made or adapted for use for causing injury, or is intended by the person having it with him for such use’.

“A highly dangerous weapon is, therefore, a weapon, including a corrosive substance (such as acid), whose dangerous nature must be substantially above and beyond this.

“The court must determine whether the weapon is highly dangerous on the facts and circumstances of the case.”

There is a mandatory minimum sentence of six months’ custody for offenders who threaten others with a weapon. Offenders who use “highly serious weapons” will receive even longer sentences.

The guidelines also says offenders, particularly under-18s, who film crimes and post them to social media should face longer sentences.