MULHOLLAND CALLS FOR TOUGHER SENTENCES FOR SERIOUS SEX CRIMES

12.00.00am GMT Tue 24th Jan 2006

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West, has put down a motion in Parliament calling on a review of the sentencing of people convicted of serious sexual crimes, following the sentencing of a couple convicted of raping a 12 week old baby.

Commenting, Greg said:

"This recent case has shocked and disgusted people and the sentences given out to the evil pair who did this simply were not nearly harsh enough in light of the monstrous crimes they committed.

"It is time for a review of sentencing tariffs for people convicted of serious sexual crimes. This case has again shown that there is a widespread feeling that current sentencing guidelines do not give judges the power they should have to pass appropriate sentences in such cases.

"In cases of serious sexual crimes, the punishment must fit the crime and at the moment this quite simply is not the case. Often in this country we seem more ready to punish property crime with harsh sentences than we are serious sexual crimes of rape and abuse. We must redress this balance so that as a society we send a very clear message out that sexual crime is abhorrent and will not be tolerated."

Greg, who is the father of a 6 month old baby girl himself said:

"We also need to ensure that such people, who are clearly a danger to society, never get the chance to carry out such acts again".