Anti-crime laws in force

The following are synopses of the six anti-crime bills which took effect last Friday.

A BILL ENTITLED:

An Act to Amend the Bail Act

The Bail Act has been amended to:

Provide in the case of specified offences for the onus to be on the defendant to satisfy the court that bail should be granted.

Confer upon the prosecution a right of appeal in cases where bail is granted by a court.

A BILL ENTITLED:

An Act to Make Interim Provision in Relation to the Grant of Bail in Specified Circumstances

This act shall continue in force for a period of one year.

A decision has been made to temporarily provide, in relation to the Bail Act, that a person charged with any offence to include murder, gun and drug-related crimes and has a previous conviction for another serious specified offence, as set out in the legislation, shall be entitled to bail only after the expiration of a period of 60 days.

The 60-day period in custody is subject to the right of the person so held to be brought before the court after seven days and thereafter at 14-day intervals at which time the court reviews the question of whether the person should continue to be held in custody or bail be considered.

A BILL ENTITLED:

An Act to Make Interim Provision Extending the Powers of Arrest and Detention Under Sections 5OB and 50F of the Constabulary Force Act

This act shall continue in force for a period of one year.

In response to the current level of crime, a decision has been made to temporarily extend the provisions of Sections 50B and 50F of the Constabulary Force Act so as to:

Provide for the arrest and detention of a person outside of the locality in which special cordon and curfew powers are being exercised. This can occur if a divisional commander, area commander or a member of the force, not below the rank of assistant commissioner, is satisfied that there is reasonable ground for suspecting that the person is, or has been, or is about to be involved in the commission of a criminal offence in the locality.

A BILL ENTITLED:

An Act to Amend

the Firearms Act

The Firearms Act has been amended to provide for a minimum sentence of 15 years for a person convicted before the Circuit Court of serious gun or drug-related offences.

A BILL ENTITLED:

An Act to Amend the Offences

Against the Person Act

The Offences Against the Person Act has been amended to provide for a minimum custodial sentence of 15 years for a person convicted before the Circuit Court of any of the following offences:

Shooting with intent to do grievous bodily harm or with intent to resist or prevent the lawful apprehension or detainer of any person.

Wounding with intent, with use of a firearm.

A BILL ENTITLED:

An Act to Amend the Parole Act

The Parole Act has been amended to provide that persons who have been sentenced to imprisonment for life, or for a period of 15 years or more, for specified firearms offences shall not be eligible for parole until after having served a period of not less than 10 years of the sentence.