Orzeczenia zbieżne (concurrent sentences) i orzeczenia konsekutywne (consecutive sentences) w angielskim prawie karnym

The purpose of this article is to analyze the institution of the concurrent and the consecutive sentences in the English criminal law. The differences between them are based on the way they are executed and on the premises which courts take into consideration. Generally, the concurrent sentences are imposed for offences which arose out of a single act and therefore the terms of imprisonment shall run at the same time (concurrently). However, a deeper analysis of the literature and the case law of the English courts leads to the conclusion that the differences between them are not so important, because the main role plays the totality principle. It changes the way the institution of the concurrent and the consecutive sentences shall be perceived.