News Articles
13 September, 2005
Tougher hate crime laws for Scotland?
Source: uk.gay.com
The Scottish Executive is set to introduce harsher penalties for those who commit anti-gay attacks, according to press reports. Lesbian and gay victims of crime motivated by homophobia could see the perpetrators given longer sentences if the new laws are backed, the Scotsman reported yesterday.
Similar laws already exist elsewhere in the UK, but a working group aimed at stemming rising violence in Scotland said those north of the border were losing out because of the lack of power given to judges. Harsher sentences for crimes motivated by racism or hatred towards religious groups are already doled out in Scotland.
The Scottish executive is expected to unveil the changes in a new sentencing bill. Similar changes were introduced in England and Wales earlier this year, while Northern Ireland was the first part of the UK to use tougher sentencing on homophobic crimes.
Those behind the idea believe it will not only show more support for lesbian and gay victims, but also act as a strong deterrent against homophobic attacks.
"It will send a message that homophobic crime is unacceptable," Tim Hopkins, spokesman for the Equality Network in Scotland says.
"It will encourage people to report their complaints to the police and also put in place a system which registers these crimes as homophobic attacks," he added. "There is nothing to be made illegal which wasn't already illegal. All this will just flag the crime up as motivated by homophobia."
