Sentencing and criminal justice
The Free Speech Union has covered 37 stories on this topic. Browse our coverage below.
28 April 2026
Former judge says "we must not be silenced over the vandalism of juries"
Sir Stephen Mitchell, a former High Court judge, has called the Government’s jury trial reforms “a form of legislative vandalism” and urged the judiciary to speak out against what he describes as the most serious assault on English liberty in 800 years.
23 April 2026
Former Justice Secretary Warns That Scrapping Jury Trials Risks the Safety of Judges and Judicial Independence
Former Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland warns that David Lammy’s jury trial reforms will expose judges to physical attacks and undermine judicial independence.
15 December 2025
Ex-Royal Marine Jamie Michael banned from working with children after referring to Southport murderer as a “creature”
7 December 2025
Stephen Bradbury acquitted at Derby Magistrates’ Court
1 December 2025
Juries More Likely to Acquit in Speech-Related Cases
25 November 2025
A tale of two halves for Graham Linehan
24 June 2025
After 31-month sentence for a tweet, mistreatment allegations reinforce case for ‘Lucy’s Bill’
24 June 2025
‘Lucy’s Bill’ – a crucial chance to challenge sentencing injustice
22 May 2025
Manchester man jailed for decade in Saudi Arabia amid secrecy over charges
20 May 2025
Lucy Connolly’s appeal has been denied
13 May 2025
Lucy Connolly’s appeal to be heard this week in case that sparked debate over sentencing and early release
12 May 2025
Southport riot report undermines far-right narrative – but opens door to speech crackdown
1 May 2025
Free Speech Union helps overturn conviction of man who dressed as Manchester Arena bomber
6 April 2025
Mother jailed for Southport X post should be freed, says former prime minister
4 April 2025
Activist guilty of breaching protected zone outside abortion clinic
20 February 2025
Man jailed for sending “utterly deplorable” email to Jess Phillips MP
8 February 2025
Labour reported me for racial hatred – a Jury cleared me in less than 20 minutes
21 January 2025
Prime Minister announces Public Inquiry following guilty plea in Southport murder trial
7 January 2025
“Two-tier justice” claim after grandmother jailed over Southport riots post denied parole
27 November 2024
Germany: Man criticizes judge who fined Syrian for raping 15-year-old girl, gets fined twice as much
19 November 2024
‘Hong Kong 47’ activists jailed for up to ten years
29 October 2024
Man cleared of stirring up racial hatred over Southport posts
24 October 2024
Conservative politician’s wife to appeal sentence for online incitement to racial hatred
9 October 2024
Fifteen years in jail for “alarming” and “discriminatory” social media posts, as Nicaragua continues crack down on dissent
1 October 2024
Trans rapist referred to as ‘she’ by judge in latest attack on language of womanhood
25 September 2024
Iranian writer sentenced to 12 years for tweeting a dot at the supreme leader
22 September 2024
Asian man who posed as far-Right hooligan to stir up racial hatred against Muslims is jailed
23 August 2024
Labour’s clamp down on free speech – use our campaign tool to write to your MP
19 August 2024
Cyprus Proposes Five-Year Prison Sentences for Spreading ‘Fake News’
18 August 2024
Between bigots and censors
18 August 2024
Jailed for riot comments: justice or creeping censorship
6 August 2024
Don’t let free speech be a victim of these riots
28 July 2024
Judges told to avoid saying “asylum seekers” and “immigrants”
8 July 2024
Germany, cradle of the hate speech law
9 May 2024
Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof sentenced to eight years in prison and flogging
4 March 2024
Free speech concerns raised after man jailed for two years for running “far-right” stickers library
23 February 2024
Former Tory MP Bob Stewart has racial abuse conviction quashed
