Most people will tell you, if you ask, that the iconic golden statue of Lady Justice atop the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey in central London is wearing a blindfold. In fact, she’s not. Her “maidenly form” was supposed to guarantee her impartiality in the cause of justice – making the need for a blindfold redundant.

But over the decades, she’s been depicted wearing a blindfold as a satirical nod to her blindness to the injustice before her eyes. Anyway, I’m digressing, but I think we can all agree that justice should be blind, right? Or not.

Well it emerged last week that ethnic minority and transgender criminals, plus all women and young adults and addicts, would be more likely to avoid prison under controversial changes to sentencing guidelines next month.

Guidance sent to judges tells them to consider whether an offender is from an ethnic, cultural or religious minority when deciding whether to impose a custodial or community sentence.

Other factors include whether they have disclosed that they are transgender, according to the Sentencing Council, an independent body that provides guidance for judges and courts.

What the actual? Did somebody say “two-tier justice”? Well this crazy policy suggests some offenders should officially be singled out for special treatment.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood claims she was unaware of the new guidance before it was published and was said to be “incandescent”. She has insisted she will request the reversal of the guidance… but how did it ever get this far?

Who is making these decisions on the Sentencing Council and how can they effectively by-pass our elected MPs and government ministers like this? It’s utterly crazy.

There’s always been mitigation in the defence of convicted offenders and there should be. But to embed this in sentencing guidelines defies belief. It’s blatantly discriminatory.

No wonder Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has gone Tonto, branding the guidance “completely outrageous” and pointing out that it utterly discriminates against straight, white, Christian men. It also confirms claims made after the Southport riots last year that we have a “two-tier” approach to sentencing in England and Wales.

Former cop David Spencer, of think-tank Policy Exchange, says: “We shouldn’t be surprised that so many people are convinced there is a two-tier justice system when judges are told to apply completely different standards for women, ethnic minorities and transgender people.”

Nope, no surprise there, David. What has happened to this country?