Guidelines could have led to criminals in England and Wales getting different sentences depending on their age, sex and ethnicity

Ministers expect the Sentencing Council to suspend plans for new sentencing guidelines that could have led to criminals getting different sentences depending on their age, sex and ethnicity.

The expected climbdown hours before the guidance would have come into force comes after a standoff with the Ministry of Justice and threats of emergency legislation to override the guidelines, which provoked claims of a “two tier” justice system.