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The retail sector has been calling for the government to make
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he government is to table an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which will make it an offence to assault shopworkers. In a letter to members of the National Retail Crime Steering Group, to which the ACS and NFRN belong, Policing Minister Kit Malthouse said: “This amendment will send a very strong
signal that assaults of this kind are totally unacceptable. This government wants to ensure that retail staff and those who are serving the public can feel protected from abuse when working. It will reinforce in statute the seriousness with which the courts should treat these offences.” He added: “This legislative change recognises the very strong public and
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Parliamentary feeling about assaults against public-facing workers, and builds on the important work already under way by this group to ensure that assaults are not seen as part of a retail worker’s job.” In response, ACS Chief Executive James Lowman, said: “Introducing tougher sentences for those who attack people providing a service to the public,
