‘National tragedy’ as law fails our elderly yet again
COMMENT
TOUGHER sentences for hate crime perpetrators will not include criminals who prey on the elderly, it emerged yesterday.
New proposals set out how courts should deal with those convicted of offences related to inciting hatred against people or groups – except those who target pensioners, because it is not deemed an aggravated offence.
Former Big Brother star Jayne Connery, 50, who founded Care Campaign For The Vulnerable, is backing a Daily Express crusade to force ministers to change the law so courts can hand out stiffer punishments to those who target the helpless.
She said: “These offences should be classified as hate crime. It beggars belief the elderly are being neglected in this way.
“When my mother was slapped in her care home – somewhere she should have felt safe and protected – I felt powerless.
“It’s horrific, there is no other word, and I know from those who contact me that it is far more widespread than people think.
“Deliberately being cruel, taking advantage or being physically abusive towards people with little or no capacity to defend themselves should result in a jail sentence. It’s as simple as that.”
Millions have been horrified to learn wanton criminality against pensioners is not treated in the same way as domestic abuse or LAST month, the Daily Express reported on the need to make criminals who deliberately target elderly people guilty of hate crimes.
Under current law, committing crimes based on disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity is an aggravated offence – and rightly so. However, the definition does not include crimes where the victim has been singled out because of their age.
This is despite the fact that age is listed alongside other characteristics in the Equality Act, which provides safeguards in the workplace or when using public services if you are offences motivated by race, sexual orientation or disability.
The Public Order Act forbids activities intended or likely to stir up racial hatred and those based on hatred against people over religion or sexual orientation. The legislation carries a maximum sentence of seven years.
Abuse of the elderly can be physical or sexual assault, harassment, coercion, threats and intimidation, theft and fraud, and neglect. But there is currently no statutory definition of a crime against an older person or specific NORMAN LAMB discriminated against on the basis of your age, gender, race and other forms of prejudice.
It is a glaring inconsistency that age-related crimes are not subject to the same penalties as other characteristics, when crimes where the victim is targeted because of their age and a perception they will be more vulnerable are a widespread problem.
Age UK estimates almost half legislation and prosecutors cannot seek a tougher sentence.
Ms Connery set up her care campaign to lobby for CCTV cameras in care homes after her dementia-stricken mother Ellen, 80, was attacked.
She said: “She was slapped across the face by a carer. Under police questioning she cracked and admitted hitting my mother. But she was let go, that was it. She could be working in another care home now.
“What I hear families every day about from is a national a million over-65s will experience some form of abuse or neglect. Some police forces already record instances where people are targeted on the basis of age as hate crimes.
However, until it is officially given the same status under the law, people who commit a crime against someone because of their age will not be subject to the same harsher penalties as they would be if their motive was linked to, for instance, race or disability.
It is about time we brought these despicable offences against older people in line with other bigoted or prejudiced crimes and I am pleased to back this campaign. tragedy. The Government needs to get tough on this.”
Ms Connery, TV presenter Dame Esther Rantzen, MPs of all parties and charity Action On Elder Abuse have joined forces to urge ministers to make elder abuse a hate crime.
The Ministry of Justice said: “Crimes against vulnerable people are particularly vile and that’s why judges already take into account a victim’s vulnerability when sentencing an offender.”