The first legislative change concerns section 85 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO), which came into force on 12 March 2015 and abolished the cap on fines for health and safety offences dealt with in the Magistrates' Court. Where previously there was a maximum of £20,000 available for 'triable either way' offences, Magistrates now have the same unlimited sentencing powers as the Crown Court. Its purpose is to empower the Magistrates so that they may dispose of more cases, thereby freeing up the Crown Court to focus on the most serious cases.
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