Violent burglar has sentence increased following Attorney General’s Office intervention
Desmond Sage has had his sentence increased to 9 years' imprisonment by the Court of Appeal.
A violent offender who attacked a man inside his home and smashed his head through glass had his jail term extended by the Court of Appeal after it was found to be too lenient.
Desmond Sage, 52, forced his way into the victim’s house and attacked him, grabbing him by the throat, pushing him into a glass cabinet several times, causing the glass to shatter. When the victim managed to escape outside he was attacked with a baton – all while his elderly mother was in the house.
The victim suffered a deep wound to his right forearm and lacerations to his scalp, the right side of his back and his right foot. He had to take 6 weeks off work and was left with permanent scarring, some of which required plastic surgery. The incident has also caused difficulty in caring for his mother.
In March, Sage was jailed at Chelmsford Crown Court for 6 years and 6 months for offences including aggravated burglary, wounding with intent and possession of an offensive weapon. The Attorney General’s Office then referred this sentence for being unduly lenient. Today, after a hearing at the Court of Appeal, it has been increased to 9 years’ imprisonment.
Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General, Lucy Frazer QC MP, said:
“Sage’s attack violated the safety of the victim’s own home. The injuries sustained in the attack have affected the victim’s ability to care for his elderly mother. It was important this harm was reflected in the sentence.”