Craig Sweeney, the paedophile jailed for life for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl, will not have his sentence made longer under an overhaul of the Criminal Justice Act (Frances Gibb writes).

Ministers are set to scrap key parts of the sentencing process after the Attorney-General refused to refer Sweeney’s jail term to the Court of Appeal. Sweeney, 24, may apply for parole in five years.

Lord Goldsmith, QC, said he was satisfied that the appeal court would not interfere with the sentence. But the Government’s senior law officer has signalled an overhaul of some sentencing provisions contained in the Criminal Justice Act, 2003. A sentencing review under way by the Home Secretary, Lord Chancellor and Lord Goldsmith could result in the scrapping of the automatic 50 per cent reduction in the minimum term to be served by discretionary life prisoners.

Lord Goldsmith’s refusal to refer the life sentence under which Sweeney is eligible in principle for parole after five years 108 days prompted dismay from the mother of the girl whom Sweeney assaulted.

Blair in clear

Tony Blair will not face charges over allegations that he made anti-Welsh comments, police said. The Prime Minister was alleged to have shouted “f***ing Welsh” during coverage of the 1999 Welsh Assembly elections. There was no prospect of securing a conviction, a police spokesman said.

Murder charges

A Gulf War veteran has been charged with murdering four family members. David Bradley, 41, a former private in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, will appear before magistrates in Newcastle upon Tyne today accused of killing his uncle, Peter Purcell, 70; disabled cousin, Keith, 44; aunt, Josie, 70; and cousin, Glen, 41.

Labour discipline

Labour MPs agreed last night to give Jacqui Smith, the Chief Whip, greater powers to discipline unruly colleagues. The Parliamentary Labour Party approved proposals to allow Ms Smith to issue a yellow card, thereby temporarily suspending an MP from the party, by 144 votes to 27.

Britain: the book

Schools are to receive copies of a “plain English” guide to the British constitution. Inside Britain: a Guide to the UK Constitution, launched by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, aims to explain the rules and procedures by which Britain is governed and will be used in citizenship classes.

Pair admit £2.4m burglary

Two people admitted taking money and goods worth £2.4 million during a burglary in a prestigious London neighbourhood.

Gerrard O’Leary, 26, and a 15-year-old youth took two luxury cars and a safe filled with money and jewellery from the home of Uri and Natalia Chliaifchtein, in Hampstead, northwest London. Four other defendants admitted handling stolen goods.

Conviction ruling

A boy of 17 who refused to leave a shopping centre when told to by police has had his conviction overturned. Police used antisocial behaviour laws to order the boy to leave the centre in southwest London, but the boy, who had been chatting to his friends, refused. The High Court in London overturned his conviction.

Conductor charged

A leading British conductor has been charged with five counts of indecent assault. Robert King, 46, is accused of indecently assaulting three males between 1982 and 1985. One of his alleged victims was under 16. Mr King, of West London, is due to appear before Ealing Magistrates’ Court on July 19.

E coli outbreak

The number of people affected by an outbreak of E. coli has risen to 21. A girl of 5 and a woman of 82 are among those affected by the strain, which has been traced to a butcher’s shop in Leeds. The Health Protection Agency said that a further seven cases had been confirmed. The first was identified on June 23.

De Menezes case

Police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes will find out next Monday if they are to be charged. Prosecutors have been considering the case since January. Senhor de Menezes, 27, was shot at Stockwell Tube station on July 22 last year after he was mistaken for a suicide bomber.

Plea on net piracy

The British Phonographic Industry has called on internet service providers to disconnect customers who share music files illegally. Record companies want the personal accounts of known downloaders terminated. But internet operators say that they cannot monitor millions of daily file exchanges.

Toasting longevity

A great-grandfather who has smoked 30 cigarettes a day since he was 11 has celebrated his 100th birthday. Geoffrey Scalbert, a retired teacher from Shaftesbury, Dorset, drinks a large glass of whisky every night and has lived with five women. Mr Scalbert said: “That’s my secret for a long and happy life.”

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