The same applies to magistrates when making sentence decisions. Crown Court judges have greater sentencing powers than magistrates. Magistrates' Courts offences involve a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment or a fine of up to 5,000. There are four levels of sentence available to the courts, depending on the seriousness of the offence. These are discharges, fines, community sentences and imprisonment.
Fines are the most commonly used sentence.
Imprisonment is the most severe penalty available to the courts and is general only available for the more serious offences, each of which has a maximum prison term usually specified by its relevant Act of Parliament. There are also mandatory minimum sentences for some serious repeat offenders. The youth court deals only with defendants aged 17 and under. It is usually based in or near the Magistrates' Court. Defendants who are under the age of 18, are subject to different rules to adults.