After the story of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes' horrific death made headlines last week, Boris Johnson wants to bring in new and stricter laws.
The new legislation, outlined this week by the PM, will mean that people who deliberately kill a child will die in prison.
Boris told The Sun: "Anyone who plans then carries out the murder of a child should never be released from prison.
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"So we’re toughening the law to make whole-life orders the starting point for such abhorrent crimes."
The sentence has been called for in light of the sentencing for Arthur's stepmother, Emma Tustin, who received a minimum term of 29 years, and his father, Thomas Hughes, who received 21 years.
Arthur was left with an unsurvivable brain injury whilst being cared for by Emma Tustin, who last week was jailed for life after being convicted of murder by assaulting the defenceless child in Solihull in June 2020.
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Arthur’s maternal grandfather Peter Halcrow spoke out on behalf of Arthur's family and told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the couple had committed a "heinous crime" by killing a "defenceless, innocent boy."
Mr Halcrow also said: "I wouldn’t give them the time of day and I wouldn’t want them to see the light of day ever again."
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has now confirmed that the sentences are to be reviewed to "determine whether they were too low".
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Now the process will begin to review and potentially alter the sentences. The AGO has 28 days from the date of sentence to review a case, assess whether it falls under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme, and make a decision as to whether to refer a sentence to the Court of Appeal.
A spokesperson for the AGO said: "The Attorney General’s thoughts are with those who loved Arthur. I can confirm that the sentences given to Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes have been referred to the Attorney General for review to determine whether they were too low."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: News, Boris Johnson