Appointment of non-judicial member to the Sentencing Council

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Richard Wright QC as a non-judicial member of the Sentencing Council for three years commencing 1 August 2022.

The Sentencing Council for England and Wales was established by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing, whilst maintaining the independence of the judiciary. The Sentencing Council’s responsibilities include; developing sentencing guidelines and monitoring their use; assessing the impact of guidelines on sentencing practice; and promoting the understanding of and increasing public confidence in sentencing and the criminal justice system.

Appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Richard Wright QC is Head of Chambers at Park Square Barristers in Leeds, and has been a QC since 2013. He is a Recorder and current Leader of the North Eastern Circuit. He is the Vice Chair (Circuits) of the Inns of Court College of Advocacy and also serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the School of Law, University of Leeds.