NSW Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News. Almost 100 people have been charged with offences against retail workers as authorities crackdown on unruly behaviour in shopping centres and supermarkets.
The charges occurred from June last year when the Minns government toughened laws protecting shop staff in response to a rise in violence. Of those charged, 44 were convicted and 13 jailed. The figures have been released, together with shocking images of brawls at Woolworths checkouts , as part of an anti-violence campaign to be rolled out over the Christmas and Boxing Day shopping period.
“Shop with respect” posters are being distributed to shopping centres statewide to remind people to keep calm. CCTV vision of a brawl at a Woolworth store in December 2023. Picture: Supplied The retail trade sector is the second highest employment industry in NSW, representing 9 per cent of the total workforce.
The new laws make it an offence to assault, throw a missile at, stalk, harass or intimidate a retail worker in the course of the worker’s duty, even if no actual bodily harm is caused to the worker, with a maximum penalty of four years’ imprisonment. Causing actual bodily harm to the worker attracts a maximum penalty of six years’ imprisonment, while wounding or causing grievous bodily harm to a retail worker or being reckless as to causing actual bodily harm to the worker or another person, could land a perpetrator 11 yea.
