Home Secretary Theresa May announced yesterday (May 15th) that criminals who kill police officers in England and Wales will face compulsory whole life sentences.
Speaking at the Police Federation conference, Mrs May said that to attack and kill a police officer is to attack the fundamental basis of our society, so life should mean life. The current minimum sentence for the crime is 30 years.
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 permits Justice Secretary Chris Grayling to make an order to change starting points for sentences after he has consulted with the Sentencing Council, which issues guidelines for judges and magistrates on all offences except murder.
Crown Prosecution Service guidelines currently reserve whole-life sentences for serial killers, child murderers or those who kill in the name of religion, politics or an ideological cause, so police killers will join that group.
There are currently 47 serving prisoners who were handed full life sentences. These include Rosemary West and “Yorkshire Ripper” Peter Sutcliffe.
Mrs May also announced that she wants to put a stop to “frivolous” legal claims made by officers against the public, saying that while she accepts that the vast majority of police officers are dedicated public servants, when one sues a member of the public after slipping on private property, it is not the sort of attitude she expects.
There was also an announcement about allowing the police further prosecution powers to enable them to bring charges against minor shoplifters, where goods taken amount to less than £200.