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Theresa May signals early legislation to protect "have-a-go heroes"

Theresa May 2009 Theresa May, the new Home Secretary, has given an interview to today's Daily Telegraph in which she makes clear that it will be an early priority for her department to introduce laws to protect those who intervene when they witness anti-social behaviour or tackle burglars in their own homes:

The new Conservative-led administration is poised to introduce a “Good Samaritan” law, which offers immunity to people intervening in an attempt to prevent crime or anti-social behaviour.

“We need to generate an environment in which people are able to have the confidence to intervene,” she says. “The more we are able to generate that confidence, the more people will feel confident about intervening with kids on the street corner. I would like to have a situation where people felt able to intervene."

Mrs May reiterates previous pledges from Mr Cameron that the Conservatives will act to protect home owners who take on burglars. “We want a situation where people are able to defend themselves and their property.” People should intervene, she says, and “know that there are police on the streets and help will be available”.

Other forthcoming measures she highlights in her first interview include:

  • Scrapping ID cards
  • Ending the “health and safety culture” in the police and returning  officers to the beat
  • Introducing an annual cap for non-EU immigration
  • Taking DNA samples from every prisoner to make it easier to catch reoffenders
  • Pushing ahead with directly-elected police chiefs
Jonathan Isaby

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