Sentencing Bill to be introduced to Assembly within next few weeks
The Justice Minister has confirmed that the Sentencing Bill will be introduced to the Assembly in the next few weeks.
The Bill, which includes a new offence of assaulting a person providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing services to the public, will contain a range of significant reforms to sentencing policy.
Justice Minister Naomi Long said it was a significant step in bringing forward this important piece of legislation, which she said will have a “positive impact on the lives of thousands of people across Northern Ireland”.
“It will also introduce a new offence and higher sentences for assaulting those providing a service to the public or performing a public duty,” said the Minister.
“In developing this Bill, I have met and listened to a range of victims and stakeholder organisations. Their voices have been crucial and as we move closer to introducing the Sentencing Bill, I want to thank them for their invaluable contribution to this process.”
It had been anticipated that the Bill would be introduced to the Assembly before Christmas.
Members of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, including Director Neil Johnston, and Usdaw representatives had met with the Minister last October. NIRC, in conjunction with the shop workers trade union Usdaw, has been championing the cause of giving retail workers better legal protection from assault.
Neil Johnston told NR that this development was a welcome one and follows campaigning by NIRC for better legal protections for shop workers from abuse and violence from customers.
“We very much welcome this Bill as it includes a new offence of assaulting a person delivering a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public,” he said.
“Retailers have campaigned strongly for this measure alongside the shop workers union USDAW. We were happy to engage with the Justice Minister, Naomi Long, on the subject, delighted that she has incorporated this measure into her Bill and very much welcome her introduction of the Bill to the Assembly.
“We look forward to engaging with the Assembly on the Bill and very much hope that it makes it in to law by the end of this Assembly term. Similar measures are already in place in Scotland and in England and Wales and we hope that we can build on those experiences to ensure all retail workers – including for example delivery staff – are better protected than they are currently.
“Far too often the skilled and passionate store employees who help make our retail industry such a vibrant place to work face unacceptable abuse, intimidation, or worse whilst serving the community. It comes despite record spending by retailers on crime prevention. Such incidents have sadly been on the rise across the country, and it remains completely unacceptable.
“The Minister is to be congratulated for moving to give better protection those who serve the public.”
The Bill will create a new offence of assaulting a person delivering a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public, or a person assisting such a person.
It was also set the principles of sentencing as proportionality, fairness and transparency; and the purposes of sentencing as punishment, protection of the public (including victims of crime), deterrence, rehabilitation and reparation; while also enabling the courts to include community requirements to make suspended sentences more tailored and impactful.
It will be introduced to the Assembly within the next few weeks, as soon as Assembly pre-introduction formalities have been completed.
