Life sentences for people who abuse children, and those who kill emergency workers on duty are among a series of criminal justice reforms coming into force today.
The government says the landmark reforms are designed to “make our streets safer”.
The reforms are part of the new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (PCSC Act) – which the government says equips police with “the powers and tools they need to combat crime”, while overhauling sentencing laws in a bid to protect the public, and keep serious sexual and violent offenders behind bars for longer.
The introduction of higher maximum penalties for a range of child cruelty offences will be known as ‘Tony’s Law’ after seven-year-old Tony Hudgell.
When Tony was a baby, he was attacked by his birth parents and left with broken fingers and toes, plus torn ligaments in his legs – however, he was left untreated and in pain for 10 days, and the delay in getting treatment meant that both his legs had to be amputated in 2017, which has left him wheelchair-bound.
His birth parents were sentenced to the current maximum jail term of 10 years.
But Tony’s adoptive mother Paula Hudgell said that more has to be done to protect vulnerable children, adding that the planned tougher sentences are for “Tony and all the babies and children that suffered or lost their lives at the hands of their abusers”.
The introduction of mandatory life sentences for those who unlawfully kill emergency workers in the line of duty will be known as ‘Harper’s Law’.
The law follows the tireless campaigning of PC Andrew Harper’s family, and his widow Lissie Harper, who were prompted to take action after the 28-year-old was killed while responding to a call about a stolen quad bike in Berkshire on 15 August 2019.
PC Harper’s killers – 19-year-old Henry Long, and his two 18-year-old passengers Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers – were cleared of murder, and given sentences of between 13 years and 19 years for manslaughter, and although an appeal was made by the Attorney General asking for their jail terms to be increased, this was rejected.
Lissie had previously said she was “outraged” by the length of sentences handed to the three teenagers responsible for his death.
Some of the other reforms being introduced as part of the PCSC Act include ending the automatic early release of offenders deemed to be a danger to the public, giving domestic abuse victims more time to report incidents of common assault or battery, and making the taking of non-consensual photographs or video recordings of breastfeeding mothers will be punishable by up to two years in prison.
The most violent and sexual offenders, including rapists, will also be forced to spend longer in prison to keep the public safer.
‘Harper’s Law’ will be introduced in memory of PC Andrew Harper after a tireless campaign by his family and widow Lissie / Credit: gov.uk
Judges will also be able to hand down life sentences for death by dangerous driving or death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs, and there will also be a new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving.
Controversially, the PCSC Act also introduces a new offence of “intentionally of recklessly” causing public nuisance, which the government says reflects the rise in so-called “guerrilla protest” tactics, and there’ll also be new police powers to tackle non-violent protests that cause disruption to the public or access to parliament.
“This government is delivering on its commitment to make our streets safer,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
“We have changed the law so that dangerous criminals are given the sentences they deserve and kept behind bars, and we are backing the police with the powers they need to keep us safe.
“We are well on our way to getting 20,000 more police officers, and we will continue to support victims seeking justice and bear down on crime so that everyone, in every town, village and city, has the security and confidence they deserve.”
You can read the full list of reforms introduced as part of the PCSC Act on the gov.uk website.
Featured Image – Pxhere
News
Northern is offering Greater Manchester students half-price train tickets for the entire academic year
Emily Sergeant
School students in Greater Manchester are to be offered 50% off their train tickets for the entire upcoming academic year.
Now that schools are out for the summer, train operator Northern is encouraging parents and guardians of schoolchildren who use the train to get to and from school to take advantage an early bird discount giving them 50% off tickets for the coming academic year.
The operator hopes that the discount will convince parents of children aged under 16 to ‘trust the train’ for their school run.
The half-price child season ticket for the 2025-26 academic year is available until 11:59pm this Thursday (31 July).
Season tickets for those under 16, and Year 11 students, that are purchased after this date will only be 40% off the normal child season ticket price, and term time tickets are to also become available from this date too.
Northern is offering Greater Manchester students half-price train tickets for the entire academic year / Credit: Wikimedia Commons | TPE
Any season tickets purchased will be delivered in time for the new school term in September.
The 50% off offer comes as Northern teams up with TransPennine Express to offer school children maximum flexibility – with education season tickets now valid on both operator’s services on a number of routes across the North.
“As we continue in our mission to make our railway accessible and as easy to use as possible, annual education season tickets are there to offer the best value for journeys to school and college,” commented Alex Hornby, who is the Commercial and Customer Director for Northern.
“We’re encouraging parents and guardians to take advantage of even bigger savings now before of the end of July, where the discounts available will reduce.
“Locking-in this earlybird discount with a season ticket not only saves a lot of money; it ticks one more thing off the back to school list and it means no more faffing around with day or weekly tickets too.”
Find more information and take advantage of the Education Season Tickets offer here.
Featured Image – Jonny Walton (via Northern)
News
More than 1,300 Clean Air Zone signs to finally be taken down across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A saga is finally coming to an end… the saga of Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone, that is.
The Clean Air Zone was to initially hand motorists daily charges of up to £60 for some of the most polluting vehicles on Greater Manchester‘s roads.
The Government agreed to delay the deadline for the scheme until 2026, but local leaders wanted to scrap all charges and help to fund vehicle upgrades instead.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) then set out evidence supporting an investment-led, and, crucially for residents and motorists, a non-charging Clean Air Plan back in June 2022 – which it said was ‘the best solution’ to address the roadside nitrogen dioxide (NO2) problem.
More than 1,300 Clean Air Zone signs to finally be taken down across Greater Manchester / Credit: The Manc Group | Flickr
And then, back in January of this year, it was confirmed that Greater Manchester’s plan for the introduction of a non-charging clean air zone had been backed by the Government.
More than 1,300 Clean Air Zone signs were installed across Greater Manchester at the start of the controversial scheme being initially proposed, as well as a total of 407 automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.
But while it was initially thought that this technology may go to waste, it was revealed in March 2023 that they were actually being used for an entirely different reason all together – detecting crime.
While the cameras are intended to stay in place and in use, the more than 1,000 signs are to be taken down.
“We’ve always been focused on doing what’s right for Greater Manchester, and by accelerating investment in our public transport network, we’re showing that it’s possible to improve air quality faster than if a charging Clean Air Zone had been introduced,” commented Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, who is the Clean Air lead for Greater Manchester.
“As we deliver our Clean Air Plan alongside the Bee Network, with support from the Government, we’ll roll out the UK’s first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system by the end of the decade and improve the air we all breathe for generations to come.”
Emily Sergeant -
28th June 2022 
