Rapists and domestic abusers have lenient prison sentences extended under new scheme
Violent offenders who abused women have had their sentences increased under a scheme designed to challenge soft punishments.
Data published by the Attorney General's Office shows that out of a total 48 cases heard by the Court of Appeal between January and March 2025, 33 sentences were increased.
Of these 33 sentences, 15 cases related to violent and sexual offences against women and girls.
Nine were drug -related sentences and other offences included robbery, manslaughter, and conspiracy to traffic contraband into prison.
The largest sentence increase was for Rico Persechino who saw his jail term extended by six years after it was referred to the Court of Appeal as part of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
Rico Persechino was part of an organised criminal group operating in Surrey that carried out multiple burglaries, a violent assault, and stole more than £215,000 of high-value cars.
Persechino's sentence was increased from seven years' and six months to 13 years' and six months on 13 March 2025 after it was referred to the Court of Appeal.
Others include Stuart Worby, 45, from Dereham, Norfolk who had his sentence increased from 12 years to 17 years after giving a woman medication which caused her to have an abortion.
Ryan Sutton, 24, from Worcester, who groomed and raped a 10-year-old he met on social media had his sentence increased by three years to a total of nine years' imprisonment with a licence extension of 12 months.
Jie Zhang, 42, from West London, had her sentence more than doubled from three years to eight years' imprisonment for leading an international prostitution ring that recruited sex-workers from East Asia and Europe to work in brothels across London.
The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said: 'The Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme exists to protect victims, and referrals to the Court of Appeal this year show that more perpetrators of violence against women and girls are being kept in jail for longer.
'As Solicitor General, I will continue to refer cases that are unduly lenient to the courts to ensure that justice is secured, victims in these cases are protected, and that public trust in the criminal justice system can be restored.'
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At his home detectives discovered the 'kill list', plans for a massacre in Newbury town centre and a notebook labelled 'White Hart' - the name of the former Hamstead Marshall pub. He had crossed out the word 'white' and replaced it with 'red' and written inside: 'Blood bath* bathe in their blood; lay their parts out - maybe have a cheap little fry up. Paint the walls with blood.' Power then jotted down his plans for a 'kill room' lined with plastic sheeting and bags to put body parts in. He noted: 'Go in at night; beat someone near to death then torture* enjoy myself,' Police then discovered he had actually burgled The White Hart Inn, spray painting CCTV cameras to render them useless and prowling with a rucksack. On November 7 last year, footage showed him breaking into the pub with a backpack, thought to contain knives and other weapons he needed to carry out his suspected murder plot. He disabled the CCTV and stole the recording box, keys to rooms and some of the occupants' belongings who were not in. Inside he stole hundreds of pounds in cash. He broke in again a few days later, but again no one was there, so he stole more room keys. Pages inside the kill list show Power's terrifying thoughts - something he claimed he would never have acted on On November 28 last year, he returned to the pub and tried to break into the flat above where the occupants lived but he was unable to gain access and damaged the lock on the door. Police believe he was carefully preparing to carry out his macabre fantasies but was arrested before he could do so. Power claimed he had become obsessed with the character of Hannibal 'the Cannibal' Lecter from hit horror film The Silence of the Lambs and with the television serial killer Dexter. Giving evidence, he insisted he could not have actually dismembered victims, telling jurors: 'I'm squeamish.' But he admitted taking part of a deer carcass home 'to have it near me.' Power insisted that he had collected macabre items in the same way a collector hoarded coins and that he wrote down his 'fantasies' to 'get them out of my head'. Simon Denison KC, cross examining for the prosecution, asked him: 'One thought was to go into Newbury and massacre people, wasn't it?' Power replied: 'Yes.' Mr Denison pressed: 'You wanted to be a serial killer; you wanted to get away with it - and the distinction between thoughts and reality had become blurred.' Power replied: 'Somewhat.' Mr Denison suggested that The White Hart Inn, with families living upstairs, 'was a place to commit murder and get away with it - which is what you wanted; The White Hart was perfect, wasn't it?' Power replied: 'Yes, it would be a good place.' Mr Denison said Mr Power had explored the pub outbuildings and continued: 'You knew it as a place to tie up victims; to take them to a kill room, take their lives and torture them; take their blood with needles and vials - it was perfect, wasn't it?' Power replied: 'Yes, the outbuildings would have been ideal.' On February 11, officers carried out a welfare check at his home address and discovered weapons, such as knives, air pistols, ammunition, a Samurai sword as well as masks, duct tape, ropes, and chains. Power's extensive notes, the CCTV recording box from the pub, and the stolen keys were also discovered. The chef was arrested and detained under the mental health act. When officers trawled through the CCTV recording box, they found footage of the balaclava-clad man in the pub on November 7. The graves he had dug behind his home, where he planned to dispose of the bodies, were also found. Power was re-arrested on February 27, where they matched his clothes to the CCTV footage and charged him. He was convicted of four counts of burglary, one of attempted burglary and three counts of criminal damage after a two week trial at Reading Crown Court. Speaking after the verdicts, investigating officer Det Con Isabelle Denis, of Berkshire West CID, said: 'I am pleased Jacob Power has been convicted and remanded in custody, ensuring he cannot harm the public. 'It is extremely fortunate the occupants of The White Hart pub in Hamstead Marshall were not in when Power broke in on three occasions as we believe he would have continued to follow the disturbing and terrifying plan involving torture and murder found in his notes. 'Thankfully, no one was hurt and we were able to protect the public by arresting Power and seizing his weapons. 'Understandably, this has been upsetting for the people involved but we are supporting them and hope this conviction will help them move on. 'We are committed to protecting the public and will always look to bring offenders such as Power before the courts.' Power, of Hamstead Marshall, Berkshire, was acquitted of six counts of aggravated burglary and two counts of attempted aggravated burglary. He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on September 19.
