The MP for Dartford has backed harsher sentences from criminals and called for the Unduly Lenient Sentencing scheme to be widened.

Under the current scheme, victims of crime and the public, can ask for a sentence to be increased, but only for a limited number of offences, including murder, rape and robbery.

In May 2016, the Attorney General began releasing details of the sentences referred to its office. In the first 12 months from May 2016 to May 2017, 262 of cases could not be considered.

Dartford MP Gareth Johnson, who has campaigned on this issue since he was elected in 2010, said: “It is disappointing to see so many cases turned down because they are not included in the scheme. The law needs to change to provide greater powers for victims to challenge unduly lenient sentencing.

“It is wrong that often the victim or victim’s relatives who refer such cases, are told they don’t have the right to get a sentence reviewed when a defendant can appeal any sentence.”

In the past year more than 40 per cent of sentences referred to the Attorney General by members of the public have been rejected because they do not fall within the scope of the Unduly Lenient Sentencing scheme.

Mr Johnson added: “I would like to see the scheme extended to cover more offences. The recent figures reinforce the public’s appetite for offenders to be punished appropriately.

"It is right that the defence can appeal sentences that are too harsh but the prosecution should be able to appeal sentences that are too lenient. At the moment that cannot happen in the vast majority of cases.

“The criminal justice system is there to protect people, but the system we have at the moment doesn’t always achieve that and I hope broadening the scope of the scheme will go some way to providing a more level playing field.”