SNP 'wants to lay down law on jail sentences'

SHERIFFS will be directed not to jail people guilty of some low-level offences if the SNP wins next year's Holyrood election.

The Scotsman understands that the nationalists want to set up a Sentencing Council which would set out clear punishment parameters to sheriffs and judges.

The move is favoured by party insiders as a means of ending the "churn" of non- violent offenders who are repeatedly locked up for short periods, making it difficult to address their behaviour.

It would also seek to make sentencing more consistent.

The move follows the Sentencing Commission's call in September for ministers to create a new body that would create draft guidelines, outlining suitable sentencing parameters for crimes such as assault, theft and possession of drugs.

If a judge did pass a sentence at odds with the recommendations, he or she would have to provide a written explanation.

No general sentencing guidelines currently exist in Scotland, although rules have been laid down by parliament for some statutory offences, such as a minimum three-year prison term for people caught in possession of illegal firearms.