The Communication Workers Union today (Tuesday) welcomes proposals from the government to increase the maximum sentencing for dangerous dogs offences to 14 years in the case of death and five years for injury. Thousands of postal workers are injured in dog attacks each year and CWU represents the largest number of dog attack victims in the UK.
CWU submitted evidence to the recent Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) consultation on extending maximum penalties, which found 91% of respondents considered that maximum penalties should be increased. 83% thought there should be an increase for injury to an assistance dog or a person, 69% for the death of an assistance dog, and 76% for the death of a person.
Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, said: "We welcome the outcome of the consultation and government's proposals to increase sentencing for dangerous dogs offences. Maximum sentencing should be increased to 14 years for death and five years for injury to ensure effective punishment is finally introduced for these serious cases. Such sentences would bring punishment in line with crimes such as traffic offences and will send a powerful message to dog owners that they will be held to account for attacks."
The proposals are:
14 years' imprisonment if a person dies as a result of a dog attack,
5 years' imprisonment if a person is injured by a dog attack, and
3 years' imprisonment if an assistance dog either dies or is injured by a dog attack.
The current maximum for aggravated dog attacks is currently just two years. As now, each of these offences could also be punishable by an unlimited fine instead or in addition to imprisonment.
Defra has released a Written Statement ahead of the second reading of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill in the House of Lords this afternoon. The Statement explains that the department has "compared the current maximum penalty with the maximum penalties for other offences." The maximum penalty of causing death by dangerous driving is 14 years' imprisonment and the maximum penalty for causing actual bodily harm is 5 years' imprisonment. Anyone who deliberately sets their dog on a person and kills them - in effect using their dog as a weapon - could be charged with murder or manslaughter, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Parliament will consider the Government proposals for increased maximum penalties for dog attacks and if agreed, they should come into force in 2014 following Royal Assent of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill.