by Katie Lamborn

A chance for the public to judge and pass sentence on a real-life criminal court case is being offered by the Kent Criminal Justice Board.

Its interactive guide to sentencing, now live online, shows how the decision-making process works and then gives people visiting the site the chance to be the judge and pass sentence themselves.

They can then see how their sentence compares to the sentence the offender actually received.

People wanting the take part in the online court case should go to the KCJB website and click on You be the Judge in the menu on the home page.

The online court case involves a 23-year-old man who has been found guilty of criminal damage and is waiting to hear his fate.

Visitors will hear both mitigating and aggravating factors and hear magistrates debate the case.

They will then be able to decide on what they think is the most appropriate punishment.

So far, 19 per cent of people have opted for a fine, 51 per cent for the lower community sentence, 24 per cent for the higher community sentence (the actual sentence given) and six per cent for prison.

This means that 70 per cent chose a more lenient sentence than the actual one given.

On first visiting the website, 30 per cent said they thought sentencing was too lenient but, having viewed the case study, said they thought sentencing was "about right".

Acting Chief Constable of Kent Adrian Leppard, who chairs the Kent Criminal Justice Board, said: "Improving people’s knowledge of how the criminal justice system in general, and in this case the courts in particular, work is a key factor in improving public confidence."

Deputy chairman of the Magistrates’ Association John Fassenfelt, who sits on the Central Kent Bench, said: "The Magistrates’ Association very much welcomes new initiatives such as You Be the Judge.

"These are designed to open the system up to communities and help them see, first-hand, that the punishment fits the crime and the important part that magistrates courts play in serving their communities.

"The Magistrates’ Association actively encourages every opportunity to engage with the public to show how complex the sentencing process is with the need to balance the seriousness of the offence, the impact on the victim, protection of the public and the circumstances of the offender in deciding on a proportionate sentence."