Review demanded over lenient sentence

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp urges a review of Salman Iftikhar’s 15-month sentence after threats against a Virgin Atlantic crew member.

Tories Call for Hermer Review After Lenient 15-month Sentence for Passenger Threatening Air Stewardess

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp wrote to Attorney General Richard Hermer asking for a review under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme after Salman Iftikhar received a 15-month term for threatening and abusing an air stewardess on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow to Lahore. Prosecutors say Iftikhar made about 100 threats over eight hours, including calls to gang rape and to blow up a hotel. He has six prior convictions.

Philp notes a contrast with Lucy Connolly, who received 31 months for a now-deleted social media post, and he frames the case as a test of proportional punishment and consistency in sentencing. He urges Hermer to refer the case for reconsideration and warns that failure to act could be read as two-tier justice under this Government.

This dispute shows how sentencing fights can become political theater. The Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme exists to correct especially harsh or lenient outcomes, but using it to critique a single defendant risks turning court outcomes into political leverage. The debate hinges on balancing victim accountability, public confidence, and the independence of judges. If the government is seen to pressure outcomes, trust in the judiciary could erode even as victims seek stronger guarantees of safety.

Highlights

Justice must protect workers and uphold fairness without becoming a political tool.