From the press room
UnitedFuture response to Liam Reid verdict – 2008-10-31
UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says today's conviction of Liam Reid for multiple sexual offences and murder shows the need for UnitedFuture's law and order policies to be put into effect as soon as possible.
"We make a clear distinction between those convicted criminals whose lives can be turned around with the proper treatment and those truly violent evil people from whom society needs to be protected.
"UnitedFuture's policies for people like Reid include:
• Increasing minimum non-parole periods for violent offenders and those who commit serious sexual crimes
• Concurrent sentences are not to be a default position. Judges to use their discretion to recommend concurrent or non-concurrent sentences.
• Introducing minimum sentences that more accurately reflect the nature of offending, the impact on victims, and the social denunciation of crime.
• Multiple violent and sexual offenders will not be eligible for bail.
• Making treatment programmes compulsory for all sex offenders.
"These policies may not have stopped Reid committing his first crime, but they would certainly have stopped them being repeated indefinitely," said Mr Dunne.
Ends