Courts need to stop being “toothless tigers” and hand down tougher sentences on those convicted of assaulting police officers, Kent Police Federation has said.

Chairman Neil Mennie described the rise in assaults on officers as “unacceptable” after it emerged there has been a 19% rise in the number of such attacks.

According to figures released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPPC), the rise has been driven by an increase in common assault – including suspects spitting on officers while claiming to be infected with COVID-19.

Neil said policing had “come a long way” since the introduction of the Assaults on Emergency Services Workers (Offences) Act 2018. The maximum sentence for an assault on an emergency worker has now been doubled to two years, but that does not always translate to appropriate sentences being handed down in court.

He said: “The level of assaults on officers has been a matter of concern for some time and it’s an upward trend. It’s just not acceptable that so many officers are being hurt.

“It's really important going forward that the courts recognise the unique nature of assaults on our emergency service workers and apply a sentence that is commensurate with that, because we’re seeing inconsistency. We need to see the courts being firmer with those who assault our officers. Society in the form of the courts needs to support the police.

“The judiciary needs to fully understand why the Act was brought in in the first place, and the impact that these assaults have on police officers and other emergency service workers. At the moment the sentencing seems like a toothless tiger, so it’s important that the judiciary look a little bit more closely at these cases and the sentencing that they apply.”

Neil said police officers expected that society would support them when they are assaulted on duty, while trying to protect the public and enforce the law of the land. He added: “We police on behalf of society, so society in the form of the courts needs to support the police.”

NPCC Chair Martin Hewitt said offenders found guilty of assaulting police officers should expect to face the “full force of the law”.

He said: “As we’ve seen throughout the pandemic, there continues to be a concerning rise in assaults against emergency service workers. This is unacceptable.

“We will use the full force of the law to prosecute anyone who uses violence against those who are on the front line.

“Officers and staff are out in communities, working in challenging circumstances, and I am grateful for their continued hard work.