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Difficulty: EasyCriminal Courts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

In the Crown Court in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, who is responsible for deciding the sentence after a defendant has been found guilty of a crime?

  1. The judgeAnswer
  2. B
    The jury
  3. C
    The magistrates
  4. D
    The County Court

Answer

The judge is the official responsible for deciding the sentence in the Crown Court.
In the Crown Court system used in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, there is a clear division of responsibility: a jury of 12 local people decides if the defendant committed the crime (the verdict), and the judge, who is a legal expert, decides what the punishment (the sentence) should be.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the court mentioned in the question.
The Crown Court (which handles serious criminal cases).
Court roles differ between the Magistrates' Court and the Crown Court.
2
Determine the role of the jury in this court.
The jury of 12 members decides the verdict (guilty or not guilty).
Understanding the split responsibility between the jury and the judge is key to the criminal justice system.
3
Identify who handles the sentencing phase following a guilty verdict.
The judge.
The judge uses legal expertise to determine the punishment according to statutory guidelines.

Key Concept

Division of roles in the Crown Court

Practice More

Review the differences between 'summary offences' and 'indictable-only' offences to understand how cases are assigned to these courts.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Criminal Courts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

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