News and Knowledge

Boy, 5, hospitalised after suspected XL Bully attack

A young boy has been hospitalised after being bitten by a dog suspected to be an XL Bully.   The incident occurred on Brazil Street in Hull at around 11:45 am on Tuesday, May 28. Police responded to reports of a five-year-old boy being bitten by a dog. The boy suffered head injuries in the…

Retail crime: Shoplifting offences highest on record in 2023, figures show

Shoplifting offences recorded by police have risen to the highest level on record as the government sets out new rules to make attacks on retail workers a standalone criminal offence.   According to statistics, more than 430,000 offences were recorded last year – up by more than a third than the previous 12 months to December 2022,…

Child Abuse Awareness Month

Every year, April is recognised as Child Abuse Awareness Month to highlight how important it is to prevent violence against children and educate families, carers and adults on spotting the signs of abuse.   Child abuse can affect a person for life and can be initiated by both strangers and adults that the child knows and trusts.…

Retail crime: Abuse against shopworkers to become a standalone offence

Serial or abusive shoplifters will face tougher punishments as the government sets out new rules to crack down on retail crime.   The new rules will see assaults against retail workers become a standalone criminal offence, as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says he wants to send a ‘clear message’ that there will be tough consequences…

Figures reveal who is most likely to be a victim of crime in 2024

New figures have been released to reveal who is most likely to be a victim of crime based on annual statistics.   The figures have been released using Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) data published by the government today. The concerning figures show that young people are at the highest risk of being…

69% of knife crimes are carried out by first-time offenders, figures show

Knife crime statistics show that more than two-thirds of cautions or convictions are for first-time offenders, as charities call for more preventative measures.   In Sussex, the figures show that of the 327 criminals found guilty in the year to September 2023, 227 were people who had not been convicted before. Ben Kinsella Trust, an…

Abuse and violent attacks on retail workers double, figures show

Violent attacks and abuse against shop workers doubled in 2023, shocking figures show.   The statistics from leading trade body, the British Retail Consortium’s crime survey revealed that the number of incidents rose to 1,300 a day last year, up from 870 a day the year before.     The rise comes despite retailers investing…

Sexual Abuse and Violence Awareness Week: Definition and signs to look out for

Sexual Abuse and Violence Week is here to raise awareness of sexual crimes and the support that is out there for victims.   Sexual abuse and violence are often perceived to be carried out by a stranger down a dark alley at night. But, statistics show that most victims know their perpetrator, and the crime…

How safe are you at work? Man assaults shop worker and police officer

Questions have been raised about how safe you really are at work, after a man assaulted a local shop worker and an on-duty police officer earlier this month.   Adam Bennett of Adelaide Court in Bedworth was sentenced to two weeks imprisonment and ordered to pay a victims’ surcharge of £154 this month after assaulting…

The CICA appeal process

An article was posted on the Solicitors Journal website on the 25th October, entitled ‘Crime victims received six times more injury compensation at appeal’.   Within the article it explains how analysis shows that victims of crime face being under-compensated for their injuries if they do not make a challenge by appealing the CICA’s (Criminal…