UK Bars Criminals from Pubs, Concerts and Sports Events Under New Sentencing Plan

The United Kingdom has announced sweeping new sentencing powers that will bar criminals from pubs, concerts, and sports events as part of its Plan for Change.

According to the government, judges will now be able to impose tougher restrictions on offenders, including driving limits, travel bans, and restriction zones that confine individuals to specific areas. The aim is to strengthen community punishments, deter repeat offences, and push offenders back toward rehabilitation.

Officials also disclosed that offenders leaving prison and placed under the supervision of the Probation Service will face the same restrictions, alongside a broadened mandatory drug-testing regime. “In the future, criminals without known drug habits will face this scrutiny, not just those with a history of substance misuse. Offenders who break the rules face being brought back to court or hauled back to prison as punishment, depending on the sentence they are serving,” the government stated on its website on Sunday.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, explained that the measures are central to the government’s new crime-reduction plan. “When criminals break society’s rules, they must be punished. Those serving their sentences in the community must have their freedom restricted there, too. These new punishments should remind all offenders that, under this Government, crime does not pay. Rightly, the public expects the government to do everything in its power to keep Britain safe, and that’s what we’re doing,” Mahmood said.

At present, judges can issue limited bans tied to specific offences, such as football bans for crimes committed during matches. The government, however, confirmed that it would soon expand the law so such bans could apply to any offence in any setting.

The changes will form part of broader sentencing reforms designed to prevent crime and ensure prison capacity remains sufficient. Authorities revealed that more than 2,400 new prison places have been created since July 2024, with a total of 14,000 to be built under a £7 billion investment plan.

Probation services are also set for a major funding increase, with the government pledging up to £700 million more by 2028/29. This comes on top of an annual budget currently at £1.6 billion. According to official figures, the number of probation officers rose by 7 percent over the past year, while trainee officers increased by 15 percent. Recruitment of an additional 1,300 officers is also underway, following the 1,000 recruited last year.

To boost efficiency, the government said probation staff will soon be supported by new technology, including artificial intelligence, to reduce administrative tasks and allow more direct supervision of high-risk offenders.