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Robbery – professionally planned commercial

s.8(1) Theft Act 1968 · Crown Court

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Sentencing framework

The guideline structures sentencing for professionally planned commercial robbery by categorizing the offence based on culpability and harm. The starting point for the sentence varies depending on the seriousness of the case, with adjustments made for aggravating or mitigating factors. This ensures a proportionate response to the specific circumstances of each case.

Maximum sentence

Life imprisonment

Court

Crown Court

Starting point

16 years’ custody

Offence range

18 months’ – 20 years’ custody

Aggravating factors

  • ·Use of a weapon to inflict violence
  • ·Previous convictions
  • ·Victim is targeted due to vulnerability
  • ·Prolonged nature of attack
  • ·Involvement of others through coercion, intimidation or exploitation

Mitigating factors

  • ·No previous convictions or no relevant/recent convictions
  • ·Remorse, particularly where evidenced by voluntary reparation to the victim
  • ·Positive character and/or exemplary conduct
  • ·Serious medical condition requiring urgent, intensive or long-term treatment
  • ·Age and/or lack of maturity (applicable to offenders aged 18-25)

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 factors which indicate a reduction
  4. Step 4 — Reduction for guilty plea
  5. Step 5 — Dangerousness
  6. Step 6 — Totality principle
  7. Step 7 — Compensation and ancillary orders
  8. Step 8 — Reasons
  9. Step 9 — Consideration for time spent on bail

Guideline notes

  • This guideline applies only to offenders aged 18 and older. A custodial sentence must not be imposed unless the offence was so serious that neither a fine alone nor a community sentence can be justified.

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.