Fianna Fáil wants three-year jail term for assaults on elderly

Assaults on elderly people should carry a minimum jail term of three years, Fianna Fáil has demanded.

The party’s justice spokesman, Niall Collins, admitted the move would create a “hierarchy of victims”, but it would be necessary to protect old people, particularly in isolated areas.

Mr Collins said people needed to fear a jail sentence if they attack an elderly person.

“It is creating a hierarchy, we are doing it because the elderly are the most vulnerable,” he said. “The message has to be that if you assault an elderly person you’re going to do time.

“There has been a significant increase in rural isolation, particularly affecting older people, which has led to an increased vulnerability and a greater fear of crime among many communities.

“Our legislation, the Assaults on Elderly Persons Bill 2015, specifies a minimum prison sentence of three years for people convicted of assault causing serious harm to older people and threatening to kill or cause serious harm to anyone aged over 65.

“Crime against older people is not specifically recorded as a heading in the CSO. However, there is considerable anecdotal evidence that older people are more vulnerable to attacks as a result of increased isolation.”

Mr Collins, a TD for Limerick West, said such a move would be in line with policing in the North.

“Only in December, the Commissioner for Older People in Northern Ireland called for specific targets to be put in place to target crime against older people because such crimes were less likely to result in prosecution,” said Mr Collins.

“We are seeking a similar analysis here to establish the rates of success in bringing crimes against older people to a successful court outcome.”