Sentencing Bill to be introduced to Assembly before Christmas

News of the introduction of the Sentencing Bill to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the next couple of months has been welcomed.

Director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium (NIRC), Neil Johnston said he welcomed the confirmation from the Justice Minister that the Bill would be introduced before Christmas.

Justice Minister, Naomi Long had previously announced her proposal to introduce a Sentencing Bill in Northern Ireland to make assault of public facing workers a specific criminal offence.

NIRC and Usdaw had written to the Minister on this subject and met with her last October.

Neil Johnston said the confirmation of the introduction before Christmas was good news.

“This is very welcome news, not least because Naomi Long has included in this Bill a new offence of assaulting a person providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing services to the public,” he said.

The offence will include those working in a retail environment and will carry a higher maximum sentence in the magistrates’ courts than that currently available for common assault (12 months rather than the normal magistrates’ courts maximum of six months).

The fact that the victim of a more serious assault is providing a service to the public or performing a public duty will also be made a statutory aggravating factor.

NIRC, in conjunction with the shop workers trade union USDAW, has been championing the cause of giving retail workers better legal protection from assault.

“NIRC was delighted to receive written confirmation that the Sentencing Bill is to begin its legislative journey in the next few weeks,” said Mr Johnston.

“It is imperative that all the political parties work together on the Justice Committee and in the Assembly Chamber to ensure that this Bill becomes an Act within the current Assembly term.

“Sadly, the levels of abuse and violence against shop workers have escalated in recent years and action is needed.”