from knife crime to nsfw deepfakes: here's what's in the crime and policing bill

The new Bill aims to empower the police to tackle a diverse range of issues (Picture: EPA)

The Crime and Policing Bill has been described by the Home Office as one of the most significant pieces of legislation of its kind in decades.

That description appears to be backed up by the sheer scale of it – the version currently being considered by the House of Lords is no fewer than 444 pages long.

Within the Bill,there is a vast range of issues falling under the banner of justice in the UK,from knife crime to protest to abortion.

Once passed,it will introduce several new crimes and change the way police are able to track down offenders.

Here are some of the most important elements of the Crime and Policing Bill that you should know about.

Knife crime

Retail crime

The Co-op has been particularly vocal about pressures from shoplifting (Picture: Maureen McLean/REX/Shutterstock)

The new Bill will introduce a new standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker,which the government says will ‘protect staff,measure the scale of the problem and drive down retail crime’.

It will also remove a section of the Magistrates’ Court Act 1980 which grants ‘perceived immunity’ to shop thefts under £200,to ensure it’s treated like any other theft offence.

Protest

A new law will restrict protests outside the homes of public office holders like MPs,local councillors and peers.

Police will get new powers to combat what Security Minister Dan Jarvis called a ‘threat to our democracy’.