Petition Remove or extend the 6 month time limit on prosecution for summary offences
Currently, summary offences must be laid before a court within six months of the offence. Once that time passes, no matter the evidence or the harm, justice is simply gone, and legal action cannot be taken. A review of this rule is urgently needed.
More details
We think the law surrounding summary offences lacks clarity, and the six month statutory time limit is deeply unjust. Victims and families deserve justice, regardless of how long it takes for evidence or offenders to come to light. This cut off silences victims and protects offenders. It sends the wrong message, a frightening one, that if offenders evade detection for long enough, they can walk away free. Victims deserve better. Families deserve better. Justice shouldn't expire.
548 signatures
Show on a map the geographical breakdown of signatures by constituency
10,000 signatures required to get a government response
At 10,000 signatures...
At 10,000 signatures, government will respond to this petition
At 100,000 signatures...
At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament