Retail NI calls for assaults on shop staff to be made a specific offence in Northern Ireland

With the Prime Minister announcing that assault of shop workers will now be made a specific criminal offence in England and Wales, Retail NI has called for Northern Ireland to be included in the new law.

In a statement, chief executive Glyn Roberts highlighted that Northern Ireland ‘is now the only part of the UK not to have such laws to deter criminals and to protect shop staff’.

The offence already applies in Scotland.

Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts said: “This is a welcome announcement by the Prime Minister given the huge increase in the physical and verbal abuse of shop workers in England and Wales.

“Northern Ireland is now the only part of the UK not to have such laws to deter criminals and to protect shop staff.

“In two weeks’, time Retail NI will be launching a comprehensive report on the experiences of our members relating to business crime. It will also outline what the Department of Justice and PSNI need to do to tackle it.

“Top of our list is for this law to include Northern Ireland. Our shop staff deserve no less”.