Reforms could see murder plotters jailed for life

A series of changes have been proposed to update Manx legislation

Changes to the length of prison sentences for plotting murders are among a raft of updates to the Isle of Man's criminal justice system.

They are among several "modernisations" from the Department of Home Affairs to the Justice Reform Act, which feature in bills out for consultation.

Among the proposed changes is an extension of the penalty for conspiring or soliciting to commit murder.

Currently the sentence is capped at 10 years, which would be extended to "a maximum penalty of custody for life", the consultation explained.

It said the move "better aligns with the penalty for murder" and was more in line with the laws in England and Wales.

There, such crimes are treated "for the most part, as an offence that has the same penalty as if the primary offence had been committed", it said.

A "granular review" of the Justice Reform Act in 2022 found "a range of issues and areas for potential improvement", it continued.

The Justice Reform (Amendment) Bill and the Contempt of Court Bill have therefore been drafted to build on the Justice Reform Act.

Social media checks

Changes to firearms protections have also been proposed, including rules for shotguns, air weapons and cross bows, to align more closely with legislation in England and Wales.

Updates will allow further safety checks, including checks on people's social media and any history of domestic abuse.

Another proposal looks at how juries are selected, following a public consultation in the summer.

Elsewhere, changes to how victims of sexual assault are treated in court are to be updated, preventing legal teams from cross examining witnesses who are victims of sexual assault.

Those protections would also extend to child victims and were similar to those within the Domestic Abuse Act.

Other updates look at how police are able to search and detain children aged 10 or older, but under the age of 14.

Currently children in this age bracket cannot be detained for questioning before a charge is made, a rule the changes suggested was "impractical and unworkable", restricting police "to effectively investigate all but the most serious crimes".

The consultation also recommended that any detention of a child should be for "as limited a duration as possible", and the person responsible for the child should be contacted.

The Contempt of Court Act was "developed in parallel", the document explained, aiming to ensure courts have "the necessary provisions to respond to conduct that undermines the administration of justice".

The consultation closes on 27 October.