Members will be aware that one of the issues we deal with daily is abusive customers. The standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker in England and Wales is being introduced as part of the Government’s Crime and Policing Bill. However, staff who work in bank and building society branches are not being given the same protections that are being created for other front-line retail workers. That is a major oversight in the legislation and needs to be changed.
We reported that the Union was working with a number of MPs to put together an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill to include bank and building society workers. The following amendments have been put forward which will cover all public facing workers.
The amendments say:
“NC10:
To move the following Clause—
“Assault of public facing worker
(1)A person who assaults a retail worker at work commits an offence under this section.
(2)“Public-facing worker at work” means a person who is—
(a)providing a public service;
(b)performing a public duty; or
(c)providing services to the public and here “working” includes doing unpaid work.
(3)A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the maximum term for summary offences or to a fine (or both).
(4)In subsection (3) “the maximum term for summary offences” means—
(a)if the offence is committed before the time when section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (alteration of penalties for certain summary offences: England and Wales) comes into force, 6 months;
(b)if the offence is committed after that time, 51 weeks.
(5)In section 40(3) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (power to join in indictment 10 count for common assault etc) after paragraph (ac) insert—
(ad)an offence under section 14 of the Crime and Policing Act 2025 (assault of public facing worker).”
“NC11:
To move the following Clause—
“Assault of public facing worker: duty to make criminal behaviour order
In Chapter 1 of Part 11 of the Sentencing Code (criminal behaviour orders), 15 after section 331 (power to make criminal behaviour order) insert—
“331ADuty to make order for offence of assaulting public facing worker
(1)This section applies where—
(a)a person is convicted of the offence of assault of public facing worker,
(b)the prosecution makes an application to the court for a criminal behaviour order to be made against the offender,
(c)the offender is aged 18 or over at the time the prosecution makes the application, and
(d)the court does not impose a custodial sentence or make a youth rehabilitation order, a community order, or a suspended sentence order in respect of—
(i)the offence mentioned in paragraph (a),
(ii)any other offence of which the offender is convicted by or before it, or
(iii)any other offence for which it deals with the offender.
(2)Section 331 applies as if for subsections (2) and (3) of that section there were substituted—
“(2)Subject to subsection (3), the court must, in addition to dealing with the offender for the offence, make a criminal behaviour order against the offender.
(3)Subsection (2) does not apply if—
(a)the court is of the opinion that there are exceptional circumstances which—
(i)relate to the offence or the offender, and
(ii)justify not making a criminal behaviour order, or
(b)the court makes an order for absolute discharge under section 79 in respect of the offence.”
(3)Section 332 applies as if for subsection (1) of that section there were substituted—
“(1)For the purpose of forming an opinion as to whether there are exceptional circumstances as mentioned in subsection (3)(a) of section 331 (as modified by subsection (2) of section 331A), the court may consider evidence led by the prosecution and evidence led by the offender.”
The Crime and Policing Bill is currently receiving its second reading in the House of Lords before it returns to the House of Commons later this year. That’s when amendments will be discussed by MPs. We will be writing to MPs asking them to support the amendment; we’ll also produce a letter for members to send to their MPs asking them to support this important change to the law.
We will keep members informed of developments.
Members with any questions should contact the Union’s Advice Team on 01234 262868 (choose Option 1).
Election of Chairman
Under the Union’s constitution an election for the post of Chairman has to be carried out every five years.
The existing Chairman, Neilson Smith has been nominated unanimously by the Union’s General Council and is standing for election for a further term.
Other members may stand for election provided they:
- Are Active Members of the Union (meaning that they are not retired and pay the appropriate working subscription rate) with a minimum of 5 years membership.
- Have been proposed and seconded in their nominations for candidacy by at least 100 members of the Union entitled to vote in the election.
Nomination forms can be obtained by contacting:
Ms. Claire Rulton
Addison Account and Training Ltd
Ayton House
33 Wootton Road
Kempston Rural
Beds
MK43 9BH
Tel: 07903 007624 or 01234 851225
The period for nominations will close at 12:00 p.m. on Friday 31st October 2025.
Nominations forms received after that date will be invalid.