Stormont’s all-party group on access to justice this week hosted a discussion which focused on the issue and the opportunity to tackle it in forthcoming sentencing legislation.

The discussion brought together MLAs, legal practitioners and stakeholders to hear directly from those working on the front line of the justice system about the very real and growing threat of intimidation and harassment they face.

In a recent survey conducted by the Law Society of Northern Ireland, 66 per cent of respondents said they had been subjected to some form of threat or abuse in the course of their work, ranging from online harassment to physical attacks. 

The Sentencing Bill, soon to be introduced in the Assembly, will include a new offence and higher sentences for assaulting those providing a service to the public or performing a public duty. There are growing calls for legal practitioners to be explicitly included within the scope of these provisions.

The event featured expert contributions from David A. Lavery CB, chief executive of the Law Society Northern Ireland; Emma Lyons, a member of the Law Society’s solicitor safety group; and Denise Kiley KC, vice-chair of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland.

Mr Lavery said: “Threats and attacks on solicitors, barristers and justice sector staff is a critical issue that needs to be tackled head-on. Beyond the devastating personal impact on individual practitioners, such incidents strike at the very foundation of the justice system.

“Legal practitioners are officers of the court — when they are threatened or attacked, the rule of law itself is under assault. The Sentencing Bill is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to act, and ensuring that legal practitioners are explicitly and robustly protected within its provisions is crucial.”

Ms Kiley said: “Today’s session was an important opportunity to ensure that the voices of those working within our justice system are heard by our elected representatives.

“Ensuring that legal practitioners are able to carry out their work safely is fundamental to the effective functioning of our justice system and the maintenance of the rule of law.”

Stewart Dickson, MLA and chair of the all-party group, added: “It was a privilege to hear directly from practitioners and those who work at the coalface of our justice system every day.

“Hearing about the challenges they face is exactly the kind of conversation the all-party group exists to facilitate, and I am grateful to all of our contributors for sharing their experiences and expertise.”