Magistrates want action on pub thugs
The Magistrates' Association has condemned the "growing tendency" to deal with violent attacks in pubs with fixed penalties, saying they should be dealt with by courts.
John Howson, deputy chairman of the Magistrates Association and its licensing expert, said "fixed penalties should only be given for low level offences".
His call mirrors that of National Pubwatch's Court Not Caution campaign, which wants anyone who attacks a licensee or member of pub staff to face court.
Howson said: "We think there should be an absolute ban on fixed penalties for any violent offences. We don't think they (on-the-spot fines) protect the licensed trade, nor do anything to reduce alcohol-fuelled crime.
"There is no excuse for these sorts of offences to be dealt with summarily."
Howson said serious and repeat offenders were escaping tougher penalties and courts were being denied offenders' full histories.
He said cases were not transparent because crimes were not in the public domain since they could not be reported. And criminals could be denied help, such as anger management.
He also said on-the-spot fines meant offenders would just get a financial penalty, and avoid action such as banning orders and orders to pay compensation.
He also expressed concern at the "growing tendency" for violent attacks on licensed premises to be dealt with by out-of-court disposals.
He branded the Home Office's move to give police increasing powers to deal with more serious offences with fixed penalties "slightly bizarre". For example, the proposed two-strikes-and-you're-out rule for underage sales suggests a more heavy-handed approach towards licensees than their attackers. He posed the question: "In a society do you want the cheapest option for dealing with crime or the most effective?"
• Add your name to the Court Not Caution petition by clicking here.
