The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act doubles the maximum penalty from 12 months to two years’ imprisonment for individuals who assault emergency services workers, prison officers, healthcare staff and other frontline workers including retail employees.

The new penalties took effect as the Institute of Customer Service (ICS), which represents organisations with customer-facing staff, published research finding 44% of frontline service staff had experienced hostility from customers in the past six months, up from 35% in February.

Its poll of more than 1,300 customer-facing staff found 35% felt customers’ behaviour and tone had become more aggressive over the past six months. Twenty-five per cent felt that heightened anxiety and hostility among customers had been driven by price increases specifically.

The Fed (Federation of Independent Retailers) has welcomed the new law. Common assault against anyone working in a retail store will now be classed as an aggravated offence, carrying tougher penalties.

The Fed’s National President Jason Birks said: “Attacks against store owners and their staff have been increasing for a number of years, so I am pleased that we are now being given the same protection in law as other frontline workers.

“Being attacked verbally or physically while just going about your daily business should not be tolerated and seen as part of the job.

“The important thing now is that the police and the Crown Prosecution Service work together to ensure this new law is an effective deterrent and not just a piece of paper.

“It’s essential that retailers report all incidents to highlight the scale of the problem, and the police response has to improve if retail crime is to be tackled head on.”

The post Independent retailers welcome new law to protect shopworkers first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Commenting, The Fed’s National President Narinder Randhawa said: “We are pleased to see that the government shares the concerns of independent retailers around access to cash, business rates, crime and regenerating high streets and we urge it to tackle these issues with the energy and priority they deserve.”

“As well as wanting the government to move quickly, it is vital that it works with trade associations like The Fed regarding the detail to ensure that small businesses get the help and support they deserve.”

However, Mr Randhawa has expressed disappointment at the lack of support for small businesses who are struggling amid soaring bills.

“This year has seen huge increases in overheads and operating costs, threatening local shops who are the beating hearts of their communities.  We are disappointed that measures to help ease the burden on hard-pressed independent retailers have been missed out of the Queen’s Speech and would urge the government to look at these as a matter of urgency.”

The post Queen’s Speech should have gone further, say independent retailers first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Police are appealing for witnesses following a robbery at a filling station on the M1 (Southbound) on Sunday, 23rd August.

Detective Sergeant Ricky Thompson said: “It was reported to police that two males entered the premises wearing scarves and baseball caps, one of them was believed to have been armed with possibly a knife or a screwdriver.

Threatened staff

“They threatened members of staff and made off with two cash registers. They fled the scene in a black Ford Focus which is then reported to have crossed the border, where the vehicle was stopped by our colleagues in An Garda Síochána and two males aged 25 and 26 were subsequently arrested.

“Enquiries are continuing and we are appealing to anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area to contact detectives on 101, quoting reference number 1133 of 23/08/20.”

Robbed at knife point

Meanwhile, an Antrim Rd service station was robbed at knife point leaving shop workers traumatised around 10pm on 14^th August.

Staff tried to flee the shop but the robber grabbed one of them by the wrist.

PSNI detectives are also appealing for witnesses to this forecourt crime.

The post Crimes on the Forecourt first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.