The Sentencing Council for England and Wales published its new guideline on drug offences which reduce sentence lengths for drug mules. The Council provides judges and magistrates with guidelines in order to have a more consistent sentencing and ensure there is clear information for victims, offenders and public. This guideline confirms and reinforces current sentencing practice and comes into effect from 27 February 2012. In accordance with the rule there is a decreasing of the starting point from 10 to 6 years in jail for drug mules. Council admitted drug mules are frequently vulnerable individuals, poor, foreign people, often women, exploited by their relatives, friends or acquaintances whose personal profit is minimal. Council recognize them a limited culpability where their offending results from coercion by others or from threat.
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