MP backs Leah’s Law campaign for tougher sentences for repeat sex offenders
Callum Anderson MP pledges to take campaign to the heart of Government
Buckingham and Bletchley MP Callum Anderson has pledged to support a campaign led by Leah Croucher’s parents, calling for mandatory prison sentences for anyone convicted of a third sexual offence.
Mr Anderson said he would do "everything in his power" to ensure the campaign, known as Leah’s Law, receives greater attention from the Government following a meeting with John and Claire Croucher.
The petition, which has gained more than 70,000 signatures, calls for a mandatory minimum prison sentence for anyone convicted of a third sexual offence. It argues that repeat offenders should face tougher consequences to protect the public.
Leah, 19, disappeared while walking to work in Milton Keynes on February 15, 2019. Her remains were discovered three and a half years later in the loft of a house in the Furzton area.
An inquest ruled that Leah had been unlawfully killed by Neil Maxwell, a convicted sex offender who took his own life after her disappearance.
Maxwell had previously pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman and received a Community Order rather than a prison sentence. Concerns were also raised over his risk assessment and his failure to attend probation appointments.
Leah’s parents believe a mandatory prison sentence for a third sexual offence could help prevent similar tragedies and reduce the risk posed by repeat offenders.
Speaking after meeting the family, Mr Anderson described the experience as “incredibly humbling” and praised their determination to campaign for change despite the tragedy they had endured.
He said: “Leah's murder was an outrageous, despicable scandal. A young woman went out to work one morning in Milton Keynes and never came home because of the actions of a depraved, disgusting man.”
The MP added that nobody in Milton Keynes or elsewhere in the UK should have to face such a tragedy.
He described Leah’s Law as “a hugely important and compelling campaign” which deserved greater public attention, and said he was grateful to John and Claire for sharing their campaign with him.
Mr Anderson also confirmed that he and fellow Milton Keynes MPs Emily Darlington and Chris Curtis were determined to ensure the case for Leah’s Law was heard at the highest levels of Government.
He said Sentencing Minister Jake Richards was already engaging with them, with discussions planned with other relevant ministers in the coming days and weeks.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio earlier this week, Leah’s parents say they are hoping to change the law to "help to keep other young ladies safe".
Under their proposal, a third sexual offence conviction would trigger a mandatory minimum prison sentence. They also want District Judges to oversee sentencing in repeat sexual offence cases that fall below the proposed threshold.
The campaign aims to strengthen protections for the public and ensure that repeat sexual offending carries tougher consequences.