UK plans tougher community sentences: Criminals could face travel bans and be barred from pubs, concerts and sports

Dubai: The UK government is considering sweeping reforms to community sentencing in England and Wales that could see criminals barred from pubs, concerts, and sports events, while also facing driving limits, travel bans, and confinement to specific areas, according to reports.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood told Mirror UK the new measures are intended to ensure that “crime does not pay,” emphasising that offenders should face restrictions whether serving time inside prison or in the community. “We are giving courts new powers to hand down tough community sentences that restrict the freedoms of offenders outside of jail too,” she said.

The proposals, part of a wider effort to tackle prison overcrowding, would expand courts’ powers beyond current restrictions. Currently, judges can impose bans linked to specific crimes, such as football banning orders for offences inside stadiums. The new plans would allow such restrictions to be applied for any offence, with additional penalties for those who breach the rules.

Under the reforms, offenders could face:

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said the measures would also apply to prisoners released on licence and are designed to “toughen up community punishments” and provide deterrents to repeat offending.

Mixed reactions

While the reforms aim to reduce prison overcrowding by relying more on community sentences, the proposals have raised practical and logistical concerns.

Michael Kill, head of the Night Time Industries Association, told BBC Breakfast that ministers must work closely with the hospitality sector to avoid unfairly burdening pubs and venues.

“While we fully recognise the intent behind these measures, they cannot simply be imposed on a whim,” he said, calling for proper planning, resources, and co-operation.

Former Old Bailey Criminal Judge Wendy Joseph KC added that the scheme could yield “a number of really good results,” but stressed that it must be properly funded. “The idea you can keep people out of pubs might be putting a lot of weight on people who run pubs,” she said.

The reforms come after the government began releasing thousands of inmates early in 2024 to ease overcrowding, following a review of the prison system. According to the review, England and Wales’ prisons had been close to collapse multiple times between autumn 2023 and summer 2024, with systemic issues causing recurring capacity crises over the past 18 years, Sky News said.

The recent review also recommended fewer custodial sentences for less serious offences, aiming to relieve the strain on prisons while ensuring that dangerous offenders remain securely incarcerated.

The MoJ emphasised that the reforms are part of Labour’s wider sentencing overhaul, intended to deter crime, reduce prison congestion, and ensure public safety.

Current system:

Proposed changes:

Goal: