Legal issues
How the court uses them
Good character and personal circumstances are recognised mitigating factors in Sentencing Council guidelines. A reference helps the court see the person behind the offence.
What to avoid
- Disputing the verdict or blaming the victim.
- Suggesting a particular sentence.
- Exaggeration. A misleading reference can do harm, and a deliberately false one can be an offence.
Evidence that matters
References are strongest alongside documents: employer letters, evidence of voluntary work, caring responsibilities, and courses or treatment begun since the offence.
Reasonable lines of enquiry
Good writers
- Employers, colleagues and managers.
- Community, faith or voluntary leaders.
- Long-standing friends, or family members who can describe specific responsibilities.
What happens next
Your solicitor or barrister reads the references, selects the most helpful and hands them to the judge or magistrates before sentence.
Immediate steps
- Ask writers early: references need time.
- Address the letter "To the sentencing court" and include contact details.
- Send each reference to your solicitor, not directly to the court.
What should you send us?
Send the signed references to your solicitor at least a few days before the hearing.