9. Legislative Consent Motion on the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 7:15 pm on 27 February 2018.

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Photo of Mick Antoniw Mick Antoniw Labour 7:15, 27 February 2018

I agree with that. There was some debate of this in Westminster, where the evidence recalled that with some of the sentences where there were prosecutions it was so paltry that it was an attitude of, 'Well, it's not worth the trouble. It's not worth actually doing it'. I think there's actually a broader imbalance in criminal prosecutions within our society, to the extent that there is a greater likelihood of prosecuting someone over a theft, over a welfare benefit offence than an unprovoked assault, for example, and I think that is the issue that goes throughout our criminal justice system. But, in particular, the need to actually emphasise the importance of the role of emergency workers who are serving the public and ensuring that they are protected I think is absolutely essential. But I think it would be, yes, a very good idea to monitor this, and it could be a function of the Counsel General to actually do this, but also to engage with the Crown Prosecution Service as to ensuring that, when this legislation goes through, there is a presumption of a prosecution and there is a review of the sentences that are then handed down and there is then also, I think, engagement with the sentencing guidelines body to ensure that the sentencing guidelines are particularly clear, because otherwise this important legislation may not have the desired effect.