A North East MP, whose father was killed by one punch in an assault, has tabled a new clause, which would make 'One Punch Manslaughter' its own offence. 

Dehenna Davison, the Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland, has tabled an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, which would see the offence created in law, and make its minimum sentence seven years behind bars. 

Her dad, Dominic, died in 2007, after being punched whilst out at the pub with his friends.

His attacker was never jailed, after being acquitted of manslaughter. Dehenna was only 13. 

The Criminal Justice Bill is set to return to the Commons on Wednesday (May 15), and Ms Davison is hopeful that the amendment will be accepted. 

This new clause would tackle the dual issues of "a burning sense of injustice" in the sentences passed - which are still only around four years - and the lack of consistent reporting/recording, meaning there is little reliable information on its prevalence.

Ms Davison told The Northern Echo: "Currently the average sentence for a one punch assault is around four years. However, with no standard reporting mechanism for these crimes, there is no comprehensive data and campaigners instead have to rely on anecdote and their own data gathering.

"Sentencing is a crucial element in criminal justice to ensure families feel even a small sense of justice for their terrible losses, and at present the system is not fit for purpose. Though nothing can ever bring back a lost loved one, a short sentence feels nothing short of insulting.

"While this amendment focuses specifically on sentencing, our broader campaign covers a range of issues we hope to address to improve the experience of the families of victims who are already experiencing such trauma.

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"We are in active discussions with the MOJ and Home Office to see what can be done to bring about better public awareness, better support for victims’ families right from the moment of the crime occurring to the trial in court and beyond, and improvements to reporting mechanisms.

"Since the establishing of the One Punch APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) we have made some incredibly positive steps and momentum is only growing."

Since winning her seat in 2019, Dehenna has been a vocal campaigner for reforms, establishing the All-Party Parliamentary Group on One Punch Assaults, and worked alongside the charity One Punch UK, of which she is a patron.