Criminals could be banned from pubs, concerts and football matches under plans unveiled by the government today.
Judges are currently only allowed to impose bans on criminals for certain offences, such as a football ban for an offence committed by a fan on match day.
But ministers say broadening the range of punishments will help deter criminals from reoffending and get them on the straight and narrow.
New sentencing powers will also allow judges to impose travel bans on offenders, as well as driving limits and orders restricting them to certain zones.
The new restrictions will also be applied on offenders leaving the probation service, alongside an expansion of the mandatory drug testing regime.
Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, said the new charges would help cut crime and make streets safer.
‘These new punishments should remind all offenders that, under this government, crime does not pay’, she said.
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‘Rightly, the public expect the government to do everything in its power to keep Britain safe, and that’s what we’re doing.’
However, the plans to cut off criminals’ access to venues like pubs have been met with criticism from the hospitality industry.
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, said the announcement ‘raises serious concerns for our sector’.
He said: ‘While we fully recognise the intent behind these measures, they cannot simply be imposed on a whim. For this to be effective and fair, it must come with the appropriate infrastructure, funding and policing to support implementation.
‘Pubs and venues are already under enormous pressure, and adding further responsibilities without clear resource and planning will create significant risks for businesses and staff.’
He added: ‘If government intends to roll this out nationally, there are considerable considerations that must be addressed.
‘It is vital that the industry is at the table to co-design how such a scheme operates, ensuring it is practical, properly resourced and does not unfairly burden venues that are already struggling to survive.’
Meanwhile, the probation service will get an additional £700 million a year by 2028/29, up from the annual budget of around £1.6 billion today.
This, along with the use of new cutting edge technology like AI, aims to reduce the burden on the service and allow for increased supervision of the most serious offenders.
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