Plea (and credit for a guilty plea)

Your formal answer to the charge in court: guilty or not guilty. An early guilty plea usually reduces the sentence by up to one third.

A plea is your formal answer to the charge in court: guilty or not guilty. If you plead not guilty, the prosecution must prove the case so the court is sure (beyond reasonable doubt) at trial. If you plead guilty, there is no trial and the court moves to sentence. Under the Sentencing Council guideline, a guilty plea at the first stage of proceedings normally earns a reduction of up to one third, falling to a maximum of one quarter after that stage, and to about one tenth on the first day of trial. You can plead guilty on a particular basis, accepting some facts but not others; if the prosecution disputes it and it would affect the sentence, the judge may hold a Newton hearing to decide the facts. A guilty plea can be withdrawn before sentence only in limited circumstances, with the court's permission.

Checked as at 25 September 2026. General information only, not legal advice.