It is great news that police, and courts will have greater powers to do their jobs, whilst ensuring the most violent criminals spend longer behind bars.
The new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is introducing new protections and powers for the police while reforming sentencing, including:
- Enshrining the police covenant into law
- Doubling maximum sentence for assaults on emergency workers
- Allowing the police to break up protests that are causing severe disruption to the public
- Creating new Serious Violence Reduction Orders to allow police to stop and search people with a history of carrying illegal knives
- Bringing in new powers to halt the automatic early release of offenders who pose a danger to the public, and make sure that offenders sentenced to more than four years in prison for serious violent and sexual offences such as rape, manslaughter and GBH with intent will spend at least 2/3 of their sentence behind bars instead of half
- Making it harder for judges to avoid imposing mandatory sentences for crimes like repeated knife offences or “third strike” burglary
- Creating a new criminal offence for people who desecrate war memorials or graveyards
- introducing life sentences for killer drivers
We need a fair justice system and we are delivering on our pledge to cut crime and build safer communities.