§ Mr. Seymourasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that the present penalties are failing to deter young offenders who attack and seriously injure police in the performance of their duty, unless magistrates' courts remit such cases to a higher court, whether he will introduce legislation to increase such penalties; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Gurdenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to increase the maximum penalties for assaults and attacks on police officers by young offenders, such as have recently taken place in the West Midlands.
§ Miss PikeThe penalties for assaults on police have only recently been revised in Section 51 of the Police Act, 1964, which comes into force on 1st August and provides that any person who assaults a constable in the execution of his duty shall be liable, on summary conviction, to up to six months imprisonment or, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, nine months, or to a maximum fine of £100, or both, or, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment28W for up to two years, or to a fine, or both.
Under other statutory provisions the maximum fine that may be imposed by a magistrates court on an offender under 14 is £10 and on an offender under 17 is £50; and courts are precluded from imposing a sentence of imprisonment on an offender under 17 and may not impose such a sentence on an offender between 17 and 21 unless there is no other appropriate method of dealing with him: but appropriate forms of custodial treatment are available for young offenders, depending on their ages.
My right hon. Friend considers that these provisions are adequate.