Assaulting a Shopworker to Become Standalone Criminal Offence

In a government turnaround on retail crime policy, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced that assaulting a shop worker is to be made a standalone criminal offence. Offenders could face a prison sentence of up to six months and receive an unlimited fine. They could also be banned from the shop premises, where they committed an offence. If found in breach of the ban, perpetrators could be imprisoned for up to five years. The measures will be part of the Criminal Justice Bill, currently making its way through parliament. “I am sending a message to those criminals—whether they are serious organised criminal gangs, repeat offenders or opportunistic thieves—who think they can get away with stealing from these local businesses or abusing shopworkers, enough is enough. Our local shops are the lifeblood of our communities, and they must be free to trade without the threat of crime or abuse,” Mr. Sunak said in a statement....