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This article examines the sufficiency of the legal response to stalking in terms of the penalty that can be imposed under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. It is argued that the statute places limitations upon the availability of a sentence that adequately reflects the severity of the harm involved. This is exacerbated by the sentencing policy outlined in the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000, which delineates the circumstances in which a sentence of imprisonment may be imposed. Central to this article is the distinction between a violent act and an act of violence and the role of the relevant conduct and consequences in the categorisation process. The article concludes with a consideration of whether the, recommendations of the Halliday report would strengthen the law in this respect.

Effective way for organisations to tackle 'porn in the office' For too long, the 'porn in the office' issue has been the elephant in the room - a genuine corporate [...]

Veakins v Kier Islington (Court of Appeal â 2 December 2009) The claimant, Ms Veakins, appealed against the first instance decision to dismiss her claim under the Protection from Harassment [...]

Dowson v Chief Constable of Northumbria (Queen's Bench Division' 30 April 2009) A group of nine police officers brought claims for harassment against their employer on the basis of their [...]

MDU adviser Dr Anahita Kirkpatrick explains how to respond to unwanted attention from a patient. The MDU receives more requests for assistance with amorous patients from GPs than any other [...]

An aggressive or abusive employee, at any level, can create potentially costly problems for an employer. Employment solicitor Sarah Gudgin explains The problem I've noticed that my head chef is [...]

A member of staff sent flowers for Valentine's day to another worker and has since been sending unwelcome text messages during the working day and weekend. How should we deal [...]

The 1997 Protection from Harassment Act (PHA), a law originally targeting stalkers, has been interpreted more broadly by the courts. Following a ruling in July by the House of Lords, [...]

The House of Lords ruled that an employer can be held liable for actions committed by employees during their employment. It also ruled that employees bringing a claim do not have to prove their suffering from psychiatric illness.

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 has been generally viewed as public order legislation, designed to combat stalking. However, an employer can be held liable for harassment committed by one [...]

by Daniel ThomasEmployers can be held vicariously liable for the bullying behaviour of their staff, following a landmark ruling in the House of Lords.In the case of Majrowski v Guy's [...]

The Protection from Harassment Act is an effective weapon in the battle against the bullies. Stephen Levinson Partner, Manches LLP Bullying at work costs a fortune. Millions of working days [...]