§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to magistrates on passing those convicted of taking away a motor vehicle without consent to a higher court for sentencing.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe power to commit for sentence does not apply to the current offence of taking a vehicle without consent, which is triable summarily only. We shall shortly bring forward proposals for a new offence of aggravated taking carrying more severe punishment in the Crown court. Magistrates would be able to commit an offender convicted of the new offence to the Crown court for sentence.