§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the introduction of stiffer penalties for those persons convicted of crimes of violence against the old and the disabled.
§ Mr. MellorWe see no reason to do so. The maximum penalty for the most serious offences of violence, among them robbery — which includes most incidents of "mugging"—is life imprisonment. In passing sentence in a particular case the court will consider all the circumstances of the offence, and the vulnerability of the victim will be an important factor in its assessment.