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<p>Everyone has the right to feel safe at work and assaults on shop workers are unacceptable.</p><p>
</p><p>There are a range of offences someone can be convicted of if they assault a
shop worker. Maximum penalties for offences are set by Parliament and include five
years’ custody for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and life imprisonment for
the most serious cases of causing grievous bodily harm. There are no plans to increase
sentences for assault offences.</p><p> </p><p>When making sentencing decisions the
courts must follow any relevant sentencing guidelines, produced by the independent
Sentencing Council. The Overarching Principles: Seriousness Guideline and Assault
Guideline require the court to treat the fact that an offence was committed against
those working in the public sector or providing a service to the public as an aggravating
factor, making the offence more serious. The Sentencing Council is reviewing its guidelines
on assault and a consultation on a revised guideline is anticipated later this year.</p><p>
</p><p>On the 5th April the Home Office launched a call for evidence on violence and
abuse towards shop staff. The aim of this work is to strengthen our understanding
of the issue, including how existing legislation is being applied. The National Retail
Crime Steering Group will continue to provide input on tackling this issue.</p>
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