Victims and families given more time to appeal sentences they think are too soft

Brooke Hanson (left), and Tracey Hanson, sister and mother of Josh Hanson who was murdered in an unprovoked knife attack in a bar in Hillingdon, west London (Picture: PA)

Victims and bereaved families will be given more time to challenge sentences they think are too soft under new plans.

They will have six months to ask for a term to be reconsidered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme – up from the current 28-day limit, the Ministry of Justice said.

The uplift recognises the fact that ‘grieving families and traumatised victims cannot also be expected to engage with th...