Sensible Sentencing Trust campaigns for tougher Bail Act

Garth McVicar

The Sensible Sentencing Trust has begun lobbying for an overhaul of the Bail Act, with spokesman Garth McVicar confident there will be changes within a year.

Mr McVicar said too many publicised incidents in which criminals had reoffended while on bail for serious offences, as well as the public's concern for safety in their communities, would bring about change.

"We have begun lobbying local MPs and will lobby all the political parties," Mr McVicar said.

The trust has launched its campaign for change after what Mr McVicar said were several violent attacks by offenders who were on bail for previous violent incidents.

He said it was bad enough when a member of the community was attacked, but when the attack was carried out in the wake of a judge not taking heed of police warnings it was "unforgivable".

"Some judges are granting bail even when the offender has a list of previous offences as long as your arm and even when police strongly oppose bail."

He said the indications he had received from police were that they were frustrated at what had been happening.

Mr McVicar said he was not taking a swipe at all judges, but a minority were "letting the team down".

He was also perturbed by the attitude of some lawyers who took the stance that they had to do everything they could for their client.

"They have to consider the communities of New Zealand as a whole first."

While he believed the country was already over-legislated, he said if it took new legislation to tighten the Bail Act then he would go along with it.

He cited the trust's campaigning on parole issues, which it began four years ago, as reason for optimism.

He said what the trust was pursuing then was now happening, and believed progress would be quicker in the area of which offenders were allowed bail and which were not.

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY