£40 barrier removed as victims gain free access to judges sentencing words

Victims will now receive free access to judges sentencing remarks under new court reforms

Victims of crime in England and Wales will finally receive free access to judges’ sentencing remarks, the government announced on Monday, 19 January. The historic move scraps a controversial system that previously forced traumatised individuals to pay for the right to understand how justice was delivered in their own cases.

Until now, victims unable to face their perpetrators in court were charged a minimum of £40—rising to hundreds of pounds in complex cases—just to obtain a transcript of the judge’s decision. This financial barrier effectively placed a price tag on closure, leaving many in the dark about the reasoning behind the sentences handed down to those who harmed them.

The Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, declared that the reform puts justice “firmly on the victims’ terms”. Recognising that the end of a trial is often just the beginning of a long road to recovery, Mr Lammy emphasised that the change removes the need for victims to attend sentencing hearings in person—an experience the government acknowledges can be severely retraumatising.

“The end of a trial does not mean the end of a victims’ journey – for many, it’s just the beginning,” the Deputy Prime Minister stated. “Free access to sentencing remarks will embolden victims to look back on their bravery and process their experience at their own pace.”

This initiative aligns with the long-standing recommendations of the Leveson Review and forms a critical pillar of the government’s broader ‘Plan for Change’, which aims to restore waning public faith in the justice system. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that a recent pilot scheme demonstrated that free access to these remarks significantly improved victims’ wellbeing and their confidence in the courts.

Claire Waxman OBE, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, hailed the announcement as a “victory” for survivors who have campaigned for open justice. She highlighted the unfairness of the previous system, noting that barriers to information have “compounded trauma and delayed closure for far too many”.

“For too long, victims have been left in the dark about what happened in their own cases, facing unnecessary hurdles and unfair costs just to understand how the sentence was reached,” Ms Waxman said.

However, the Commissioner urged the government to go further. While welcoming the current reforms, she called for the initiative to expand to magistrates’ courts and to include judges’ summing-up remarks in cases of acquittal, ensuring that “every survivor can get the closure they deserve”.

The reform is part of a wider package of measures intended to modernise the courts and tackle violence against women and girls. It sits alongside the Sentencing Bill and substantial investments in legal aid and ‘Swift Courts’ designed to tackle the case backlog.

The move also echoes the principles of transparency championed in the landmark 2017 Lammy Review, which examined the treatment of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic individuals within the criminal justice system. By removing financial hurdles, the government asserts it is delivering on its promise to ensure the justice system works for those it is meant to protect.