Semi Lave

Semi Lave was sentenced to an initial 15-year prison term for his child sex offences, which involved the rape and sexual abuse of two children over a five-year period from 2015 to 2020. The victims were subjected to threats of violence and physical abuse during this time, highlighting the severity and coercive nature of the crimes.

The case was reviewed under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme, where the Court of Appeal determined that the original sentence was insufficient given the gravity of the offences. As a result, Lave's jail term was extended by nine years to a total of 24 years, accompanied by a six-year extension to his licence period. This adjustment was part of broader efforts in 2022 to ensure appropriate punishment for child sex offenders, as announced by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO).

According to the AGO's annual statistics for 2022, child sex offence cases saw the highest number of sentence increases under the ULS scheme, with 23 such reviews leading to harsher penalties. The scheme allows public referrals within 28 days of sentencing for certain serious offences, including sexual crimes against children. Lave's case exemplifies the system's role in addressing unduly lenient sentences, providing a safeguard for victims and maintaining public confidence in the criminal justice process.

The Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, commented on the importance of the ULS scheme: 'Being a victim of crime can leave life-long emotional scars and some of society’s most dangerous offenders – including child sexual predators and violent criminals – saw their sentences increased in 2022.' This underscores the ongoing commitment to robust sentencing for such predatory behaviour.