MP from Sheffield calls for tougher sentences for one punch attacks

Dehenna Davison's dad was killed outside a pub in the city in 2007

Published 24th Feb 2021

Efforts are being stepped to seek justice for South Yorkshire families who've lost loved ones through one punch assaults.

A MP from Sheffield's set up a parliamentary inquiry into the issue after her dad was killed with a single punch outside a pub in the city in 2007.

Dehenna Davison, who's now an MP up in the North East, is hoping the new group will tackle lenient sentencing and educate others.

She told us she's living up to a promise she made herself when she was 13:

"This is an issue that is extremely close to my heart, one moment my dad was going to the pub the next he hasn't come home. I'm 14 years on now but the shock never goes away you learn to live with the grief but it's the sudden nature of these attacks stays with you and I know it's felt by families across the UK.

"The shock of something like this happening is something you never expect and something that never really goes away and ever since then my family's felt this sort of injustice. And I know it's something that's felt by a lot of other families."

The killer of Dehanna's father was jailed for manslaughter but only ended up serving 18 months in prison.

Through her position as MP she's hoping to use her experience to tackle issue with the support of charities, families of victims and lawyers to create report for how the sentencing system could be changed.:

"When I've spoken to families the overwhelming sense I get is frustration, given the horrific nature of these attacks they feel that the sentences dished out are far too lenient.

"It means that it's often difficult for them to move on, I know from my personal experience that you do feel a real sense of injustice and it stay with you."

The first meeting of the APPG has been taking place this week.

It's asking for anyone who has been impacted by a one punch assault and wants to contribute towards the inquiry, to contact Dehenna.davison.mp@parliament.uk.

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