Harsher Penalties.

[barney4444]

Never really been able to understand the reasoning behind making a new law for assaulting a particular person or profession, the latest being for attacking shopkeepers, while of course they should be able to go to work without the fear of some thug having a go at them, it seems odd to me, that for assaulting a retail worker they go to prison for 6 months, yet if he attacks plain old ordinary me, he gets the usual 100 hrs community  service  and 50 quid fine, surely knocking my front teeth out should warrant the same punishment as anyone else in society.

[Canary42]

Except perhaps for when a police officer or prison warder is the victim, then yes I agree.

[barney4444]

Why are the penalties different at all though, surely assault is assault whoever you pick on.

[sandyRoe]

Nurses and other staff in A&E departments should also have the protection of the law.

Having said that, what about the rest of us?

 

[Canary42]

The only reason I provide exception for police and warders is that the prisoner has nothing to lose by resisting, unless there is the threat of a harsher penalty. Morally flaky I agree, but necessary IMHO.

[douglas9401]

Lawmakers must be seen to be 'doing something'.

[jourdain2]

I rather thought that we were all 'under the protection of the law'. We shouldn't be prioritising, except perhaps those in direct  contact with baddies; but I'm not sure about that.

[Old_Geezer]

Passing new laws for certain groups, that is already covered by existing legislation for everyone, is something that should never occur, since we should all be equal under the law, and any such existing duplicate law should be struck off.

 

It can't help anyway, if police can't be arsed to arrest folk under existing laws why would they start doing do under irrelevant repeat law ?

 

It's all utterly ridiculous and discriminatory to boot.

[THECORBYLOON]

OG, do you think that when it comes to determining the minimum period that must be served in gaol, the murder of a police officer in the line of his or her duty should not be treated differently from any other adult?

[Old_Geezer]

Unconvinced. In either case both are dead and had no desire to be so.