UK GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE LICENCES FOR CLEANING
PRODUCTS? Following the recent and horrifying rise in the number of acid attacks in the UK, the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) guidance to prosecutors is to be reviewed regarding the approach to tackling the use of acid and other corrosive substances in violent attacks.
Punishment for perpetrators of such attacks is to be assessed to ensure sentencing is sufficient to deal with these serious, life-changing offences. It will also ensure that acid and other corrosive substances will be classed as dangerous weapons, so that carrying such substances could be regarded in the same way as knife possession, which can lead to a maximum of four years in jail.
As part of this, the 1972 Poisons Act in the UK is also being reviewed to assess whether it should cover more acids and harmful substances.
This would mean that a Home Office licence would be necessary for shoppers in order to purchase many strong cleaning products. It would also mean that shops would need a
corresponding licence in order to sell them, and possibly even require that all purchases for these items are made by card, in order to ensure that all purchases can be traced.
Many substances, such as nitric acid, are already subject to a Home Office licence for both shops who stock them and the shoppers alike. If brought in, the new rules mean shopkeepers would have a legal duty to call a police hotline if they suspect a customers’ intent when buying acid-based cleaning products.
The UK’s Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: “Acid attacks are horrific crimes which have a devastating effect on victims, both physically and emotionally. It is vital that we do everything we can to prevent these sickening attacks happening in the first place.
“We must also ensure that the police and other emergency services are able to respond as effectively as possible, that sentences reflect the seriousness of the offences and victims are given the immediate support they need.”
Figures from the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) suggest that more than 400 acid or corrosive substance attacks were carried out in the six months up to April 2017, with bleach, ammonia and acid listed as the most commonly used substances.
These numbers have continued to rise alarmingly in the months since. In the space of just one night in July, there were five separate acid attacks in London alone, thrusting the issue into the public consciousness during the summer.
Hackney Council has been urging East London shopkeepers to stop selling products which contain corrosive substances, such as acid or ammonia, to anyone under 21 years old in a voluntary scheme. There is currently no age restriction on buying these items in the UK.
Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Kearton, NPCC lead for Corrosive Attacks, said: “Police have dealt with a number of high-profile cases in recent months and we continue to collect data from police forces across England and Wales to understand the scale and extent of these attacks and develop our ability to support and protect victims.
“While it is virtually impossible to ban the sale of all corrosive substances, we are working closely with the Home Office and retailers to determine how we can keep these products from people who intend to cause harm.”
It is currently unknown when the results of the review will be made public, or if/when any changes will be made to restrict sales.
In the space of just one night in July, there were five
separate acid attacks in London alone.
6 | NEWS
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