Despicable Attacks Should Be Met With Full Force Of The Law

30 March 2020

‘Despicable' recent assaults on officers – in which they have been spat at and coughed on – need to be met with the full force of the law, Essex Police Federation has said.

Disgusting incidents have occurred across the country – which has led the Crown Prosecution Service to warn perpetrators that these assaults will be punished in the courts.

Spitting at officers should not be tolerated at any time, said Essex Police Federation Chairman Steve Taylor, but he said it is particularly galling at the moment given the dangers of COVID-19.

He said: “People who spit on officers are despicable.

“It’s a really personal method of attack, and that’s what it is; an attack.

“It’s a criminal offence and those that are intent on acting that way towards officers or checkout assistants or paramedics, whatever the scenario, if you’re stupid enough to think it’s acceptable enough to spit at people then you must expect the full weight of the law to follow that up.”

That should mean jail time, Steve said.

He added: “I would hope it means people should spend some time in front of a magistrate, explaining what they’ve done, where the option of you spending some time in a prison cell needs to be very real.

“It’s despicable, particularly in the current climate with the genuine public health concerns around coronavirus.

“That has to be an aggravating factor, and I would hope the bench take that aggravating factor into mind when deciding a sanction.”

The disgusting assault prompted PFEW Chair John Apter to write to the Home Secretary to demand urgent legislation to enforce social distancing to help protect officers from contracting the disease from the public.

That legislation is something Steve wants to see introduced urgently.

He said: “When we first advanced the Protect the Protectors legislation we were lobbying for tougher sanctions for those that spat on officers anyway, so I’d welcome John’s efforts to re-energise that drive and to put more weight behind the deterrent element of the legislation.

“Whatever John can achieve through the Home Secretary, officers in Essex would certainly appreciate it. I think all members of the community would be appreciative of such steps if it means people are deterred from acting so heinously as to spit at another person. It’s despicable.”