Assaulting Shop Workers to Be Established as Distinct Criminal Offense in England and Wales
In response to a surge in retail crime, the government of England and Wales has announced plans to create a separate criminal offense for assaulting shop workers. This decision comes after a report earlier this year revealed a staggering 50% increase in violent and abusive incidents against shop staff during 2022-23.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasised the importance of ensuring that shops remain safe spaces, free from the threat of crime or abuse. Previously, the government had resisted calls for a legal change, but now acknowledges the necessity to address this issue. As part of the response, the police will receive £50 million to bolster the utilisation of facial recognition technology in combating shoplifting.
The move to establish a standalone offense for violence against shop workers has been advocated by various business leaders for some time. Despite initial reluctance, the government is now committed to including this measure in its Criminal Justice Bill, presently under parliamentary review. Scotland has already implemented similar legislation since 2021.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson underscored the significance of the message being sent to criminals, emphasising the pivotal role that local businesses play within communities and the imperative to safeguard them from crime and abuse.
Helen Dickinson, chair of the British Retail Consortium, hailed the announcement as a recognition of the concerns voiced by the three million individuals employed in the retail sector.
However, opposition figures such as Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman Alistair Carmichael criticized the delayed response by the Conservative government and urged for more robust action against those who assault shop workers.
The new offense will carry a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment, along with the possibility of an unlimited fine and a ban from the shop where the offense occurred. Repeat offenders may be subject to electronic tagging, and they can still face charges for causing grievous bodily harm, which could result in lengthier sentences.
Additionally, enhanced facial recognition capabilities will be deployed in high streets to identify perpetrators and deter shoplifting. Police will intensify efforts to cross-reference CCTV images with police databases in their pursuit of offenders.
editor
Not before time, shoplifting has been a thorn in the side of retailers for years, looking back to the 90s the thefts from shops was reaching epic proportions, response from the police was poor and a lot of towns and city centres established radio networks to alert each other of thieves activities or to summon aid if threatened, making life difficult for shoplifters is still the best option, other law abiding citizens need to be aware the thefts or “shrinkage” as retailers refer to it affect the bottom line and it is recouped by increased prices, so it follows reporting suspicious in store activity to staff or security will impact on deterrent and of course prices.