NIO Minister John Spellar, who allowed the killers of north Belfast youth Peter Mc Bride to remain in the British Army despite their convictions for murder, today announced that his government was taking a "tough stance on hate crime."
Speaking in Belfast Spellar said
“... new powers also include increases in maximum sentences for a series of violent offences and see the maximum penalties for causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and putting someone in fear of violence increase from five to seven years. The penalty for criminal damage increases from 10 to 14 years.”
The embattled NIO minister has refused to be drawn on claims that he is the last person to be taking a "tough stance on hate crime" given his refusal to accept that murderers should be dismissed from the British Army. As Armed Forces Minister Spellar ruled that the killers of Peter Mc Bride were "young and inexperienced...(and)...neither guardsman had any previous criminal record" among various 'exceptional' factors which allowed them to be retained. This was later overruled by a court.
Spellar also said, "this much needed legislation gives additional powers to the judiciary to hand down sentences appropriate to the seriousness of the crime." In the trial of Wright and Fisher the judge felt it appropriate to hand down life sentences. However the two were granted early release after the intervention of his government.
PFC
During today’s visit to the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM) Criminal Justice Minister John Spellar deplored recent attacks on ethnic minorities and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to tackle all hate motivated crime.
After meeting with NICEM staff at its Belfast headquarters John Spellar said:
“Hate motivated crime is utterly despicable the Government is firmly committed to fighting racism, sectarianism, or hostility based on sexual orientation or disability in Northern Ireland.
“Tough new legislation comes into force next week (28th September 2004) to tackle so-called ‘hate crime’ in Northern Ireland. The timely introduction of this much needed legislation gives additional powers to the judiciary to hand down sentences appropriate to the seriousness of the crime.
“Under the new laws there is a statutory requirement to treat racial and religious aggravation and hatred of sexual orientation or disability as an aggravating factor when sentencing. This new legislation substantially strengthens the measures available to tackle crime motivated by such hatred.
“The new powers also include increases in maximum sentences for a series of violent offences and see the maximum penalties for causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and putting someone in fear of violence increase from five to seven years. The penalty for criminal damage increases from 10 to 14 years.”
The Government is also committed to tackling car crime in Northern Ireland and this legislation creates two new offences that will deal with crimes often wrongly known as “joy-riding”. These new offences can attract appropriately heavy penalties of up to fourteen years in prison again strengthening the powers available to the courts.
Notes to Editors
The Criminal Justice (No. 2) (NI) Order 2004 comes into force on 28th September 2004. The key features of the legislation are:
The full texts of the Criminal Justice (No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 and Explanatory Memorandum may be found on the HMSO website.