zlacker

Judges don't have to adhere to guidelines as these are only guidelines. I have seen couple of cases where people were punished severely for something rather minor. Only thing you can do is to complaint about the judging.

>>merino+(OP)
English judges do have to adhere to the sentencing council guidelines.

https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/about-us/

> The primary role of the Council is to issue guidelines on sentencing which the courts must follow unless it is in the interests of justice not to do so.

> The Sentencing Council is an independent, non-departmental public body of the Ministry of Justice and replaced the Sentencing Guidelines Council and the Sentencing Advisory Panel in April 2010.