Money laundering

s.327, s.328, s.329 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 · Triable either way

Sentencing framework

The guideline categorizes money laundering offences based on culpability and harm, with different starting points and ranges for sentencing depending on the severity and value of the crime. Aggravating and mitigating factors play crucial roles in determining the final sentence, allowing for adjustments to better reflect the individual circumstances of each case.

Maximum sentence

14 years’ custody

Court

Triable either way

Offence range

Band B fine – 13 years’ imprisonment

Aggravating factors

·Previous convictions
·Offence committed whilst on bail
·Attempts to conceal/dispose of evidence
·Established evidence of community/wider impact
·Failure to comply with current court orders
·Offence committed on licence or post sentence supervision

Mitigating factors

·No previous convictions or no relevant/recent convictions
·Remorse
·Little or no prospect of success
·Positive character and/or exemplary conduct
·Serious medical conditions requiring urgent, intensive or long-term treatment
·Age and/or lack of maturity (which may be applicable to offenders aged 18-25)
·Sole or primary carer for dependent relatives
·Offender co-operated with investigation, made early admissions and/or voluntarily reported offending
·Determination and/or demonstration of steps having been taken to address addiction or offending behaviour
·Activity originally legitimate
·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

Step 1 — determining the offence category
Step 2 — establish culpability and harm
Step 3 — starting point and category range
Step 4 — reduction for guilty pleas
Step 5 — consider any factors which indicate a reduction
Step 6 — totality principle
Step 7 — consider confiscation, compensation and ancillary orders
Step 8 — reasons for the sentence

Guideline notes

Where the value greatly exceeds the amount of the starting point in category 1, it may be appropriate to move outside the identified range.

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.