# 10 points
speech on penalties for crimes against environment should be tougher
Answers
Explanation:
Environmental crimes - pollution, graffiti, excess noise, fly tipping and trade in endangered species - can no longer be regarded as minor offences, the Magistrates Association has decided, and penalties should be vastly increased as a deterrent.
The new get-tough policy launched yesterday is likely to lead to far higher fines and imprisonment for offenders. It was welcomed by Michael Meacher, the environment minister, who has long campaigned for tougher sentences.
Government agencies bringing prosecutions will be asked to add up the total cost of the offences in administration and restoration of sites, cleaning of graffiti or loss of public amenity. Magistrates want these costs reflected in the fine.
Current fines are around £2,000 for serious pollution offences but magistrates have been asked to consider the maximum £20,000 and, if that is not enough, to refer offenders to the crown court, where fines can be unlimited and the offenders jailed for two years for each offence.
Mr Meacher said yesterday that environmental crime was far more serious than people realised.
There were three murders a year associated with complaints about neighbour noise, one in four farmers had waste dumped on their land and each day customs seized 570 illegally imported wildlife items. After drugs and arms, wildlife trading was the third largest criminal activity.