The Government has announced that assaulting a retail worker will be made a standalone criminal offence. Those found guilty of the new offence could be sent to prison for up to six months, receive an unlimited fine and be banned from going back to the shop where they committed their crimes. This follows extensive lobbying efforts across the retail industry over a number of years and responds directly to a key objective set out in the British Retail Consortium's Manifesto for Retail.
Alongside this measure, the Government has said it is also stepping up action to require serial offenders to wear tags to track their movements. There will also be increased use of facial recognition technology to help combat crime on high streets and other public spaces.
This is an extremely welcome and significant development, achieved as a result of a broad coalition of retailers, trade associations and unions that have campaigned together successfully to secure the introduction of the new standalone offence.
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