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  Criminal Justice and Courts Bill  - New Clause 15 - Hostility Based on Membership of the Armed Forced to be Considered Aggravating Factor in Offences
  
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  @ MP voted aye to require hostility based on the victim being a former or serving member of the armed forces to be treated as aggravating factor to an offence when considering sentencing. 
  @ MP voted no not to make hostility based on the victim being a former or serving member of the armed forces to be treated as aggravating factor to an offence when considering sentencing. 
  
  The majority of MPs voted not to make hostility based on the victim being a former or serving member of the armed forces to be treated as aggravating factor to an offence when considering sentencing. 
  
  MPs were considering the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill[1]. The proposed new clause rejected in this vote was:
  
  :â(1) Part 12 (Sentencing) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, is amended as follows.
  
  :(2) At the end of section 146, insertâ
  
  :â147 Increase in sentences for aggravation related to membership of the Armed Forces
  
  :(1) This section applies where the court is considering the seriousness of an offence committed in any of the circumstances mentioned in subsection (2).
  
  :(2) Those circumstances areâ
  
  :(a) that, at the time of committing the offence, or immediately before or after doing so, the offender demonstrated towards the victim of the offence hostility based on the victim being a former or serving member (or presumed former or serving member) of the armed forces or army reserve; and
  
  :(b) that the offence is motivated (wholly or partly) by hostility towards persons who are former or serving members of the armed forces.
  
  :(3) The courtâ
  
  :(a) must treat the fact that the offence was committed in any of those circumstances as an aggravating factor; and
  
  :(b) must state in open court that the offence was committed in such circumstances.
  
  :(4) It is immaterial for the purposes of paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (2) whether or not the offenderâs hostility is also based, to any extent, on any other factor not mentioned in that paragraph.
  
  :(5) In this section âarmed forcesâ means Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, both regular and reserve.â.
  
  
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  * [1] [http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2013-14/criminaljusticeandcourts.html Parliament's webpage on the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill]
  
  
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  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  