Can magistrates sentence up to one year or two years now?

[MrsEndeavourMorse]

A Neighbour and I were having a discussion yesterday where sentencing at Magistrates Court came up, I said you can only be sentenced to a year, he said No, it's two years now, it changed. I did google it but it still says 12 months and can't find this update, can anyone clarify if it is one year or two please?

The maximum sentence they can impose for a single offence is still 12 months. The Courts and Tribunals Bill will allow the government to increase this to 2 years, but that is not yet law.

12 months for a single either way offence. It's been 6, then 12, then back to 6, then 12 again, which is why you'll find both answers online. Anything the bench thinks needs more gets sent up to the Crown Court for sentence. If what you actually want to know is how long someone would serve rather than what's handed down, that's a separate question and the rules are changing from October. There's a plain English rundown of the court stages here if it helps insiderguide.uk/guides/going-to-court/