Assault Upon A Retail Worker To Become A Freestanding Criminal Offence

The Government have announced that assaulting retail workers will become a "standalone criminal offence" in its own right in England and Wales, just as it already is in Scotland. The announcement states: "Perpetrators could be sent to prison for up to six months, receive an unlimited fine and be banned from going back to the shop where they committed their crimes, with Criminal Behaviour Orders barring them visiting specific premises. Breaching an order is also a criminal offence and carries a five-year maximum prison sentence. For the most serious cases of assault, such as causing grievous bodily harm with intent, offenders could face a life sentence."