Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater welcomes publication of ‘Zach’s Law’ to protect people with epilepsy

“Zach’s Law” is named after 11-year old Zach Eagling, from Hartshead in Ms Leadbeater’s constituency, who is a sufferer of epilepsy and cerebral palsy who was maliciously targeted on social media with posts designed to cause seizures.

The law will be incorporated into the Online Safety Bill currently going through Parliament.

Zach’s Law will make it illegal, without good cause, to send flashing images by email or social media if a person with epilepsy might see it, with the maximum sentence for anyone found guilty being five years in jail.

While Ms Leadbeater welcomed confirmation that Zach’s Law should finally be passed, she expressed grave concern at the delay in getting it on the statute book.

Ms Leadbeater, who welcomed Zach and his mum Claire to Westminster, said: “I’m delighted to see the details of Zach’s Law have finally been published.

“It will make a huge difference to people like Zach who have fallen victim to the evil practice of online trolling designed to trigger his condition and give him an epileptic seizure.

“Zach and Claire have campaigned for a long time for a change to the law and this is a tribute to all their efforts and to those who have supported them over the years.

“It’s been a long time coming and I have been dismayed and frustrated that the recent chaos at Westminster has delayed it once again.

“We still don’t know exactly when the Online Safety Bill will finally pass all its parliamentary hurdles, but I will be keeping the pressure on at Westminster until it does.”

Claire Keer, Zach’s mum, said: “Zach has done so much hard work and we’ve had so much support behind us, so let’s hope there are no more delays in Parliament with everything that’s going on at the minute.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to say that Zach’s Law is a reality really soon.”