Little making sense on sentencing

NewstalkZB reports:

The Leader of the Opposition is calling for an overhaul of the country’s sentencing laws.

Labour Leader Andrew Little is pushing for changes around rules for discharge without conviction, to stop violent offenders from qualifying for the sentence.

It follows recent high profile judicial decisions such as that of Wellington rugby player Losi Filipo, who was let off after assaulting four people.

Mr Little said he’s not sure that was intended by Parliament when it passed sentencing laws.

“And it looks to me like there needs to be a clarification that has to come from parliament indicating when discharges without conviction are not to be used.”

I’d be quite happy to have violent and sexual offences removed from eligibility for a discharge without conviction.

This does mean of course that if say a Labour MP assaulted someone and faced a charge with a maximum penalty of more than two years, would be ineligible to get a discharge without conviction and would be automatically expelled from Parliament if found guilty.