Introduce tougher penalties for attacks on shop workers in new policing bill, ACS urges MPs

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called for amendments in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to introduce tougher penalties for attacks on shop workers.

In evidence submitted to the Public Bill Committee on the bill, the ACS has also asked to ensure that the new system of cautions is effective in dealing with repeat shop theft offences.

“Shop workers are legally required to enforce age restrictions and Covid-secure measures when serving the public, often leaving them open to violence and abuse. Our members and colleagues wish to see similar legislation to that recently passed in Scottish parliament under the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill,” the ACS said in its submission.

“Intervening to tackle theft is the primary trigger for violence in convenience stores. We need clarity that diversionary and conditional cautions will be effective in tackling repeat shop thieves, often motivated by addiction, that are being lost in the justice system.”

The trade body noted that there were over 1.1m incidents of theft over the last year, according to the 2021 ACS Crime Report, many of which committed by repeat offenders with a drug or alcohol addiction. The report also shows that there have been over 1.2m incidents of abuse over the last year, which often go unreported.

“This bill is an important step toward taking much needed action to stop offenders repeatedly targeting convenience stores. Those who attack retailers and their colleagues must be dealt with properly through tougher sentences, and that shop theft is taken seriously by the justice system,” commented James Lowman, ACS chief executive.

“These need to be tackled together, as challenging shop thieves is one of the biggest triggers of abuse and violence in stores.”

Last week, a coalition consisting of major retail businesses and trade bodies have written to the prime minister urging him to use the proposed bill to deliver greater protection for all frontline shop workers.