People who break the law could soon be banned from pubs, concerts, football matches and even certain travel, under tough new sentencing powers announced by

the Government.

The measures, unveiled on Sunday (24 August), are part of the Government’s “Plan for Change” – a package aimed at reducing crime, cutting reoffending, and keeping streets safe.

Under the new rules, judges will be able to restrict offenders’ freedom more widely than before. This could include driving limits, travel bans, or confining people to certain areas. The idea is to make community punishments tougher and more meaningful, so offenders are deterred from slipping back into crime.

Offenders leaving prison and those under probation supervision will also face tighter controls. One major change is an expanded system of mandatory drug testing. Previously, only those with known drug problems were tested, but in future, all offenders may be subject to checks. Anyone caught breaking the rules could be dragged back to court or sent back to prison.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said:  

“Widening the range of punishments available to judges is part of our Plan for Change to cut crime and make streets safer.  

When criminals break society’s rules, they must be punished. Those serving their sentences in the community must have their freedom restricted there too.

These new punishments should remind all offenders that, under this Government, crime does not pay.

Rightly, the public expect the government to do everything in its power to keep Britain safe, and that’s what we’re doing”.

Currently, bans like these are only used in limited cases, such as football banning orders linked to violence or antisocial behaviour on match days. Soon, judges will be able to impose similar restrictions for any type of crime, in any circumstance.

The reforms come as part of a wider overhaul of sentencing. The Government has pledged to ensure punishments are effective, that prisons don’t run out of space, and that dangerous offenders are kept behind bars.

Since July 2024, over 2,400 new prison places have opened, with £7 billion being spent to build 14,000 more. The Probation Service is also getting a major funding boost, rising by £700 million by 2028/29. Staffing levels are already improving, with probation officer numbers up 7% in the past year, alongside a 15% rise in trainees. A further 1,300 recruits are expected this year.

New technology – including artificial intelligence – will also be rolled out to ease admin and allow probation officers to spend more time monitoring high-risk offenders. Photo by Dun.can, Wikimedia commons.