Local MP Marcus Jones has welcomed new plans to toughen-up community sentences and give victims a choice over the punishment of criminals under new plans unveiled by Home Secretary Theresa May at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.

Under the new Community Remedy, victims of antisocial behaviour and low-level crime will be given the right to choose a Community Payback punishment for the perpetrator of their crime. New Police and Crime Commissioners, who will be elected on 15 November, will provide a list of punishment options so that the victims of crime can choose an appropriate punishment for perpetrators sentenced to an out-of-court community punishment.

Commenting on the announcement, Marcus said: “For too long the victims of anti-social behaviour have felt ignored and their concerns have not been taken seriously enough. So-called ‘low-level crime’ can cause misery to victims but they often feel let down.  I know this to be the case here in Nuneaton as many local people come to me with their concerns about anti-social behaviour.

“With the Community Remedy, victims of anti-social behaviour will be put first and will have the chance to choose the punishment which the offender receives.

“The punishment could be restorative or punitive, carried out nearby or as far away as possible but all the punishments will have one thing in common: they will be chosen by the victim.”