New rules allow judges to punish offenders who skip sentencing in England and Wales

• Judges in England and Wales can impose solitary confinement or restrict privileges on offenders who skip sentencing.
• Offenders who refuse to face their victims in court could be kept in their cells for longer or lose social visits.
• This change grants judges wider powers to enforce attendance at sentencing hearings.
• The new rules aim to ensure offenders face the consequences of their actions and their victims.
• The measures are part of a government initiative to strengthen the justice system.