Higher-value shop thefts can be prosecuted by the police in court without calling in the Crown Prosecution Service, Home Secretary Theresa May has said. She was speaking to the annual Police Federation conference on Wednesday, May 15.
Mrs May said: “I know that dealing with the CPS on minor offences wastes a great deal of your time, and I know how frustrating that can be. That’s why I can announce today that I will increase the scope of police-led prosecutions to include shoplifting of goods worth £200 or less. That means up to another 50,000 prosecutions being led by the police – cases that will be dealt with faster and more effectively. Last week, we introduced legislation in Parliament that will make this happen. It will reduce the amount of time you have to spend waiting for CPS lawyers, end the duplication of paperwork and put you back in charge of these cases.
Life should mean life for anyone who murders a police officer, Mrs May has said.
She said that she wanted to see whole life tariffs imposed on anyone found guilty of murdering an officer.
Home Secretary Theresa May said: The murder of a police officer is a particularly appalling crime. To attack and kill a police officer is to attack the fundamental basis of our society.
“We ask police officers to keep us safe by confronting and stopping violent criminals for us. We ask you to take the risks so that we don’t have to. And sometimes you are targeted by criminals because of what you represent. That is why I can announce today that, subject to consultation with the Sentencing Council, the government will change the law so that the starting point for anybody who kills a police officer should be a life sentence without parole.”
For more visit https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/helping-the-police-fight-crime-more-effectively
For the Police Federation visit – http://www.polfed.org/events/view_from_the_chair_conference2013.aspx
ACPO lead on criminal justice Chief Constable Chris Eyre said: “Police officers place themselves at risk to protect the public. It is absolutely right that this should be taken into account in the sentencing of those who murder police officers in the line of duty. Equally, we recognise that all families should expect that the circumstances under which they have lost a loved one may be taken account when justice is done. Decisions on sentencing are clearly for judges to make and we look forward to these new proposals coming forward.”
Meanwhile a retail trade body has welcomed changes to the Victims Code to give a stronger voice to retailers affected by crime, as featured in the May print issue of Professional Security.
In the Government’s original consultation, “Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses”, the ACS (Association of Convenience Stores) set out recommendations that the Victims Code should take into account the impact on businesses. The revised code includes a dedicated section recognising businesses as victims of crime, provisions for the inclusion of all businesses within the Code’s remit (which previously only included small businesses) and the creation of ‘business impact statements’ to allow retailers to report the wider implications of crime on their stores.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “The fact that the Victims Code recognises the impact of crime on businesses is a breakthrough in our efforts to get retail victims taken seriously in the criminal justice system. Retailers like anyone else should have the opportunity to reflect to the Courts the impact that a crime has had on themselves, their staff and the communities they serve. We played an instrumental role in securing these provisions within the Code and we welcome that Government listened to our arguments.
“Retail crime is not victimless: there is always a human and monetary cost. Allowing individuals and businesses to reflect the impact of crime will give retailers the confidence that sentences will fit the crime.”
In addition to the Victims Code, Government introduced the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill to Parliament which will empower victims of crime through the Community Remedy and hold police and local authorities to account when responding to crimes against business.”
