Criminals caught with corrosive substances twice will automatically face a prison sentence of at least six months under proposals to counter the threat of acid attacks.
ore than one knife possession offence.
And online retailers could face criminal proceedings if they deliver knives to a buyer’s home, in a measure aimed at clamping doHome Secretary Amber Rudd said: “All forms of violent crime are totally unacceptable, which is why we are taking action to restrict access to offensive weapons and crack down on those who carry acids with the intent to do harm.”
But shadow home secretary Diane Abbott warned: “Unless there are sufficient officers to enforce the law, new legislation will have a limited effect.”
After a flurry of high-profile incidents, the Government announced plans earlier this month to create a new offence of possession of a corrosive substance in public without a good or lawful reason.
The full Home Office consultation document published on Saturday reveals the proposed crackdown will also see those convicted for a second time face a mandatory minimum sentence.
The approach will be modelled on a system rolled out in 2015 for offenders repeatedly caught with knives.
Minimum sentences were introduced for those aged 16 and over who are convicted of a second or subsequent offence of possession of a knife or offensive weapon.
The punishment is at least six months’ imprisonment, which can be suspended, for adults. Young offenders face a minimum four-month detention and training order.
Judges must impose the minimum sentence unless there are particular circumstances relating to the latest offence, the previous offence or the offender which would “make it unjust to do so in all the circumstances”.
The consultation document says it is not intended that “corrosive substance” will be defined in legislation as the offence “must be flexible enough to cover a range of possible situations: from someone possessing a corrosive substance in a public place that if used as a weapon can leave life-changing injuries; through to someone using a less harmful corrosive substance which if used as a weapon can still be very unpleasant to the victim but the effect is not lasting”.
A new offence to stop the sale of acids and the most harmful corrosive substances to under-18s is also being weighed up.
Police figures show there were 408 attacks using corrosive substances between November 2016 and April this year.wn on the sale of blades to children and teenagers.
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