SWINDON judges' leniency has been questioned seven times since December.

More than half a dozen sentences handed out at Swindon Crown Court have been referred to the attorney general under the government's unduly lenient sentence scheme.

They include Albanian drug dealer Roland Shkrepa, 34, who was stopped near Manchester Road in January carrying £15,000 in a vegetable box.

Police searching his home later turned up 1kg of cannabis and three fraudulent identification documents. He was convicted at Swindon Crown Court of possession of cannabis with intent to supply, possessing criminal property and three counts of having false ID.

A Swindon judge gave him a two year jail sentence, suspended for 24 months. Government documents show that the case has been called-in, with the attorney general’s office considering whether or not the court was unduly lenient.

Of the seven cases referred under the scheme two have been referred to the court of appeal

Since the start of December seven Swindon Crown Court sentences have been called-in to the attorney general’s office. Of these, two have been referred to the appeals court.

Last month, paedophile Philip Derham, 38, of Buckingham Road, had his sentence almost doubled by the Court of Appeal. He had been serving a seven year extended sentence for sexually abusing a six-year-old girl and persuading another girl, 15, to send him indecent pictures of herself.

Speaking after the hearing, attorney general Jeremy Wright QC MP, said: “I am pleased that the Court of Appeal has agreed that Derham’s sentence was too low.

“Two children’s lives have been significantly damaged, and I hope this increased sentence can bring some comfort to them and their families.”

Another convicted paedophile, Wesley Maciel, will appear before appeal court judges in June. The 22-year-old churchgoer was given a 14-month jail term at Swindon Crown Court in March after admitting five counts of sexual activity with a child.

Any member of the public can appeal a sentence, provided they lodge their complaint within 28 days of the court sentencing. The government then decides whether to take the case to the appeal court.

As solicitor general, South Swindon MP Robert Buckland is one of two ministers who decides if a case should be heard by appeal court judges.

The unduly lenient scheme allowed the courts to set precedent and better support victims of crime, he said: “There’s a sense that the victims’ voice is being heard. Many people say to me that they are grateful that a higher level of justice has been made out in their case.

“It’s used sparingly. In the last year it’s not looked at more than about 150 cases.”

Asked if the unduly lenient scheme showed that court punishments were too low generally, Mr Buckland replied: “I think it’s important to remember that about 80,000 sentences are made each year. The attorney general and I are dealing with a tiny proportion of those sentences.”