Perpetrators who damage, remove or interfere with their GPS monitoring devices will face imprisonment of at least six months following the passage of new laws through the WA Parliament today.
The maximum penalty for damaging, removing or interfering with monitoring equipment has been increased from $12,000 or 12 months’ imprisonment, to $36,000 and three years’ imprisonment.
“This Government is dedicated to putting the safety of the community first, protecting victims of crime and ensuring perpetrators are held to account,” said WA Premier, Roger Cook.
Late last year, the WA Government announced that it would introduce legislation to mandate the use of GPS monitoring in certain family violence cases, and increase the relevant penalties for family and domestic violence (FDV) and other offenders.
The passage of laws today gives effect to the penalties component of that announcement.
“We’ve got on with the job of bringing in laws to protect the community and improve safety,” said Attorney General, John Quigley.
“Under these laws, we’ve introduced a minimum penalty of imprisonment for anyone who interferes with a GPS tracking device that has been put on.
“The next stage of our reforms, to be progressed this year, will increase the number of offenders who are monitored. It will apply to all serial family violence offenders, and anyone who commits a family violence offence while subject to a family violence restraining order, when they are on bail or a community supervision order.
“It will also apply to all offenders paroled in relation to a family violence offence, where there is a family violence restraining order in place,” he said.
