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Criminal Law (Amendment) (Protection of Property) Bill

Brendan Fearon would have profited if his civil action was successful. I am delighted that my hon. Friend the Member for North-West Norfolk has clarified the point for us. The arguments for the Bill are forceful. Burglary is virtually risk-free, and detection rates are at a 25-year low. Fewer than one in seven burglaries are cleared up by the police. Only three in 100 burglaries result in conviction. Public fear of crime in general and burglary in particular has increased, yet police in rural areas are severely stretched. My right hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice and Howden (David Davis), the shadow Home Secretary, said:"““The term ‘grossly disproportionate’ was actually introduced by the present government in 2003 when it amended the civil law. I believe that it would be beneficial to amend the criminal law act in the same way, restoring the balance to the victim rather than the criminal. At a time when just three out of every one hundred burglaries results in a conviction, people need to be able to feel that they can protect their lives and property.””"