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Whole life terms for police killers - home secretary Whole life terms for police killers - home secretary
(about 1 hour later)
Criminals who kill police officers in England and Wales will face compulsory whole life sentences, Home Secretary Theresa May has announced.Criminals who kill police officers in England and Wales will face compulsory whole life sentences, Home Secretary Theresa May has announced.
She unveiled plans for a change in legislation at the Police Federation conference in Bournemouth.She unveiled plans for a change in legislation at the Police Federation conference in Bournemouth.
Mrs May stressed that to kill a police officer was "to attack the fundamental basis of our society".
Earlier, Federation chairman Steve Williams said officers felt "totally dejected" by recent cuts and reforms.
'Appalling crime'
The current minimum sentence for a police murder is 30 years.The current minimum sentence for a police murder is 30 years.
The Police Federation said: "We support any move that means a true life sentence will be applied to anyone who murders a police officer." Mrs May announced that the government is to propose the minimum term should be increased to life without parole.
Mrs May announced that the government is to propose that the minimum term should be increased to life without parole.
The home secretary told rank-and-file officers the murder of a police officer was "a particularly appalling crime".The home secretary told rank-and-file officers the murder of a police officer was "a particularly appalling crime".
"To attack and kill a police officer is to attack the fundamental basis of our society," she said. "We ask police officers to keep us safe by confronting and stopping violent criminals for us," she said.
"We ask police officers to keep us safe by confronting and stopping violent criminals for us. We ask them to take risks so that we don't have to.
"And sometimes you are targeted by criminals because of what you represent.""And sometimes you are targeted by criminals because of what you represent."
She added: "We are clear - life should mean life for anyone convicted of killing a police officer."She added: "We are clear - life should mean life for anyone convicted of killing a police officer."
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 permits Justice Secretary Chris Grayling - following consultation with the Sentencing Council - to make an order to change starting points. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 permits Justice Secretary Chris Grayling - following consultation with the Sentencing Council - to make an order to change starting points for sentences.
This would permit him to change the starting point in this instance from 30 years to a whole life order, meaning offenders could not be released other than at the discretion of the secretary of state on compassionate grounds - for example, if they are terminally ill or seriously incapacitated. In this instance, it enables him to change the starting point from 30 years to a whole life order, meaning offenders could not be released other than at the discretion of the secretary of state on compassionate grounds - for example, if they are terminally ill or seriously incapacitated.
'Severe penalty''Severe penalty'
The Sentencing Council, the official body that oversees sentencing in England and Wales, issues guidelines for judges and magistrates to work to for all offences other than murder.The Sentencing Council, the official body that oversees sentencing in England and Wales, issues guidelines for judges and magistrates to work to for all offences other than murder.
A spokesman said: "Introducing whole life tariffs for those who murder police officers would involve changes to the law, which is a matter for Parliament, rather than the Sentencing Council."A spokesman said: "Introducing whole life tariffs for those who murder police officers would involve changes to the law, which is a matter for Parliament, rather than the Sentencing Council."
But he confirmed that the government had a duty to consult with the council before new legislation could be brought in.But he confirmed that the government had a duty to consult with the council before new legislation could be brought in.
The Sentencing Council says that, as things stand, whole life orders can be imposed in murder cases "if the court decides that the offence is so serious that the offender should spend the rest of their life in prison".The Sentencing Council says that, as things stand, whole life orders can be imposed in murder cases "if the court decides that the offence is so serious that the offender should spend the rest of their life in prison".
There are currently 47 prisoners in England and Wales who have been given whole life tariffs, including Rosemary West and "Yorkshire Ripper" Peter Sutcliffe.There are currently 47 prisoners in England and Wales who have been given whole life tariffs, including Rosemary West and "Yorkshire Ripper" Peter Sutcliffe.
Police Federation chairman Steve Williams said: "The public need to have confidence that the criminal sentence they read about in the paper is the sentence the offender completes. During her address, Mrs May called for an end to "frivolous" claims by police officers who have accidents on duty.
"There is no hierarchy when it comes to victims of murder, however police officers risk their lives on a daily basis confronting danger on behalf of others. She said suing someone after slipping on their property was "not the sort of attitude" officers should exhibit.
"Would-be offenders must know that they will receive the most severe penalty possible." Her comments come after it emerged recently that one police officer, PC Kelly Jones, had taken legal action after tripping on a kerb at a Norfolk petrol station in August.
Shadow policing minister David Hanson, meanwhile, said: "The killing of a police officer is a particularly heinous crime that should be punished with the severest possible sentences." Mrs May also revealed plans to allow police to take over shoplifting prosecutions where goods taken were worth less than £200.
"We will support any efforts to achieve that aim," he added. 'Stop pretending'
Mrs May, who will face a question and answer session after her speech, was heckled at last year's conference after she told officers to "stop pretending" they were being singled out and would "have to make their share" of public spending cuts. The home secretary emphasised the importance of raising public trust in policing and said there should be "zero tolerance" of malpractice.
Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor, who is behind hotly debated changes such as fast-track recruitment and lower annual pay for new constables, will also address officers. Mrs May, who faced a question and answer session after her speech, was heckled at last year's conference after she told officers to "stop pretending" they were being singled out and would "have to make their share" of public spending cuts.
Police Federation chairman Steve Williams, who had earlier welcomed Mrs May's sentencing plan, told her morale was low as a result of the government's programme of cuts and reforms.
Speaking at the conference, he urged the home secretary not to "hang your reforms on the reprehensible behaviour of a handful of officers".
The biggest applause came when he called for the government to abandon plans for compulsory severance, which are currently subject to negotiation.
Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor, who is behind hotly debated changes such as fast-track recruitment and lower annual pay for new constables, was also due to address officers.
On Tuesday, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told the three-day conference that government plans to withdraw from the European Arrest Warrant agreement would make it harder to catch criminals who went on the run abroad.On Tuesday, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told the three-day conference that government plans to withdraw from the European Arrest Warrant agreement would make it harder to catch criminals who went on the run abroad.