Prison sentences for anyone convicted of gross negligence manslaughter are to be increased amid concern that offenders have been getting off much too lightly.
Judges are being asked to consider life in prison for the most serious offenders, with a key recommendation they should serve at least 18-years before being eligible for parole.
For the first time guidelines have been set out for judges dealing with manslaughter cases, in the hope that future punishments for negligence will truly reflect the severity of the crime.
Gross negligence manslaughter, which involves the breach of ‘duty of care’ towards a victim, is being considered by investigators of the Grenfell Tower tragedy which led to the death of 72 people.
If an employer is found to have breached their duty of care which led to the death of an employee, the absolute minimum levels of sentencing suggested will be :
2 years – low culpability
4 years – medium culpability
8 years – high culpability
12 years – very high culpability
Employers and those responsible for the safety of vulnerable lone workers will be seriously affected by the stricter guidelines.
‘Lookout Call’ provides employers with an affordable lone worker monitoring system which is available via any type of phone. This simple-to-use safety system helps to mitigate the risk for lone workers who may regularly face unpredictable clients & their associates, or journeys to potentially dangerous locations.
The increased sentencing guidelines come into effect in courts from 1 November 2018.