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Handling stolen goods

s.22 Theft Act 1968 · Triable either way

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Sentencing framework

The guideline outlines that sentencing for handling stolen goods is structured around assessing the offender's culpability and harm associated with the crime. The court first categorizes the offence based on the seriousness, then establishes a starting point for sentencing within a specified range, considering statutory aggravating and mitigating factors for adjustments. The maximum penalty can be up to 14 years’ custody, while the offence range varies from discharge to 8 years of custody.

Maximum sentence

14 years’ custody

Court

Triable either way

Offence range

Discharge – 8 years’ custody

Aggravating factors

  • ·Previous convictions
  • ·Offence committed while on bail
  • ·Seriousness of the underlying offence, for example, armed robbery
  • ·Deliberate destruction, disposal or defacing of stolen property
  • ·Failure to comply with current court orders
  • ·Commission of an offence while subject to a relevant court order
  • ·Offence committed on licence
  • ·Offences taken into consideration
  • ·Established evidence of community/wider impact

Mitigating factors

  • ·No previous convictions or no relevant/recent convictions
  • ·Positive character and/or exemplary conduct (regardless of previous convictions)
  • ·Serious medical condition requiring urgent, intensive or long-term treatment
  • ·Age and/or lack of maturity (which may be applicable to offenders aged 18-25)
  • ·Mental disorder or learning disability
  • ·Sole or primary carer for dependent relatives
  • ·Determination and/or demonstration of steps having been taken to address addiction or offending behaviour
  • ·Pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal care
  • ·Difficult and/or deprived background or personal circumstances
  • ·Prospects of or in work, training or education

Sentencing range explorer

Select the culpability level and harm category to see the guideline's starting point and category range. This is an educational illustration of the published guideline — not a sentence calculation, and not legal advice. Courts apply the full step-by-step process, aggravating and mitigating factors, and the totality principle.

Culpability

Harm

Select a culpability level and a harm category above.

The sentencing process, step by step

  1. Step 1 — Determining the offence category
  2. Step 2 — Starting point and category range
  3. Step 3 — Consider any other factors which indicate a reduction, such as assistance to the prosecution
  4. Step 4 — Reduction for guilty pleas
  5. Step 5 — Totality principle
  6. Step 6 — Confiscation, compensation and ancillary orders
  7. Step 7 — Reasons
  8. Step 8 — Consideration for time spent on bail (tagged curfew)

Always read the full guideline

This is a one-page summary. For any live case, sentencing exercise, or legal advice the authoritative source is the Sentencing Council's own definitive guideline — including the category bands, step-by-step sentencing approach, and all statutory factors not captured here.

Open the full guideline on sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Source: Sentencing Council · Crown copyright, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0. Summary fetched 2026-06-28. Not legal advice — see a regulated adviser for any live case.