'Defendants who hide in their cells abuse their victims again,' says West Norfolk MP James Wild after Middleton man Malcolm Appleby jailed

An MP has spoken out against defendants refusing to come to court after a West Norfolk man was sentenced in his absence last week.

James Wild, Conservative MP for North West Norfolk, said he has been pushing for legislative change on the matter over the last year after being “appalled” by high-profile cases where defendants stayed in their cells.

It comes after Middleton man Malcolm Appleby, 39, of St Mary’s Court received a 13-year jail sentence at Norwich Crown Court last week for the sexual assault of a girl under 13 and intimidating a witness, having not attended his court hearings.

Mr Wild raised the matter at Justice questions in Parliament in May 2022, with the then-minister James Cartlidge agreeing to contemplate his proposal to make failure to attend an aggravating factor judges could consider in sentencing.

Mr Wild subsequently met with the minister, with the Ministry of Justice saying policy work would consider it.

Following the reshuffle last summer, he then wrote to the new justice minister setting out the proposal.

During the Conservative Party leadership election Prime Minister Rishi Sunak adopted this proposal in response to the Norfolk MP’s and others’ suggestions.

Mr Wild said: “It is important that justice is seen to be done. Defendants hiding in their cells are effectively abusing their victim and victim’s families again.

“Judges should be able to impose longer sentences where offenders refuse to face justice in open court.”

The matter has also made national headlines in recent weeks after Thomas Cashman, who was jailed for life for the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool, refused to face the family of his victim.

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has promised to change the law to prevent criminals refusing to attend sentencing hearings.

Last week Mr Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister, said: “Spineless criminals like Cashman who hide from their sentencing prolong the suffering of victims and their families. As I have already made clear, I plan to change the law to compel offenders to face up to their actions, so victims can see the justice they deserve being served.”