Immediate custody
A prison sentence that starts straight away (not suspended).
Immediate custody means the person goes to prison now. A suspended sentence is a custodial sentence that is not served unless the person breaks its conditions or reoffends.
Court Day UK shows the immediate custody rate (immediate custody ÷ everyone sentenced) and the average custodial sentence length from MoJ data.
Official sources
This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. The official sources above are the authority.
See also
Sentencing · How a case moves from charge to sentence · All explainers
