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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Adeshola Ore

‘Grab and drag’ proposal will bridge gap between assault and sexual offences in Victoria, experts say

A police officer holds a man's hands in handcuffs
The proposal will introduce ‘aggravating circumstances’ to common law assault that could result in a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Photograph: Mikko Robles/Speed Media/REX/Shutterstock

Offenders who grab and drag their victim in a way that makes them fear they will be sexually assaulted could be jailed for up to 10 years under a proposal outlined by Victoria’s peak law reform body.

The Andrews government asked the Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC) to review “grab and drag” offences after a 2018 assault in which Jackson Williams grabbed a 39-year-old woman and dragged her into an alleyway.

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