Cyber Bullying could carry 10 year jail sentence

[The Pom Queen 5,775]

New laws under which workplace bullies will be imprisoned for up to 10 years have been welcomed by the family of a 19-year-old woman who committed suicide after being tormented by workmates.

Damien Panlock, father of Brodie, who jumped to her death in 2006 after being victimised by colleagues at Cafe Vamp in Hawthorn, said the laws won’t bring Brodie back but legislation that protects young workers is "never too late".

"This is Brodie’s legacy," Mr Panlock told The Age.

"If someone else can be protected from scum like these people, and they know that they are going to be charged, and they are going to have jail time, they might think twice."

 

Attorney-General Robert Clark is expected to table the Crimes Amendment (Bullying) Bill, 2011, in Parliament on Thursday.

A government spokesperson said the Baillieu Government would amend stalking legislation to include workplace and cyber bullying.

 

Mr Panlock has worked closely with the Brumby and Baillieu governments on framing the laws, but said he would reserve his final judgment until he saw the legislation.

 

He said he would get advice on whether the laws cover the "grey areas . . . which are part and parcel of why these people haven’t been charged over Brodie".

 

"Our family has been fighting to (have workplace bullying the subject of criminal charges for a year plus," he said. "We haven’t been sitting on our hands."

 

"When you assault someone, that’s a criminal charge, isn’t it? Brodie was assaulted, physically, and there are witnesses.

 

"Nothing’s ever too late ... If this can save someone else’s family ... in the future, if the law is good enough for that, fine. But if it’s not, it doesn’t mean a thing does it?"

 

Victoria Police have not charged the men responsible for bullying Brodie.

 

Victorian Attorney-General Robert Clark said today that "serious bullying was a serious crime" and should carry a significant jail term.

 

"These changes will put beyond doubt that the terrible suffering inflicted on Brodie Panlock will constitute the offence of stalking and carry a jail term of up to 10 years," he told 3AW.

 

Mr Clark said Victorian families were "entitled to be confident" that young workers were protected from victimisation at work.

 

"These changes should give parents confidence that their children can start out in the workforce without being victim to this terrible bullying."

[tonyman 6,274]

i would cage them in a zoo for 10 yrs .....:policeman: