BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw has said the Government must make its Stalking Bill part of its own legislative programme to ensure it becomes law before the election.

The government has revealed that stalkers will face up to five years in prison if they continue to harass their victims.

But the tough new crackdown will still need a backbench MP to get it through Parliament because there is no space in the Government's legislative programme.

Two new criminal offences are planned to deal with different levels of harassment.

There will be a new crime of repeatedly using words or behaviour on more than one occasion which would put the victim in a reasonable fear of violence with a maximum penalty of five years in prison, an unlimited fine of both.

A lesser offence will be created for the use of words or behaviour, which would reasonably cause the victim to be harassed, alarmed or distressed with a maximum penalty of six months in prison, a £5,000 fine, or both.

A similarly worded civil offence will allow the victim to take out an injunction carrying the threat of a maximum penalty of five years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

Courts will have powers to make a restraining order on stalkers convicted of either of the criminal offences, opening up the prospect of a second five year prison term or a new fine or both.

Shadow Home Secretary Mr Straw said: "Effective action to tackle stalking could already have been law if the Government had not churlishly blocked Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson's Bill last May.

"But now they have taken this issue over the government must give it the priority it deserves.

"Ministers must now make it the subject of government legislation with the appropriate guarantee of time on the floor of the House of Commons."

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