Federation Chairman: Jail sentence for man who spat at police officers a deterrent for those considering vile and abhorrent way
3 June 2021
“This sentence offers a form of deterrent to others who may considers acting in this vile and abhorrent way towards police officers”
Chairman Andy Symonds reacts after a man with Covid-19 who spat at police officers is jailed.
Andy said: “I’m happy with this sentence that has been handed down to an individual who clearly had no respect to the rule of law. I’ve spoken to the officers who were involved and spat at by this person who let’s remember had been confirmed as having the Covid virus. The impact cannot be underestimated on the officers themselves and their families.
“It also meant these officers had to self-isolate at home and by default were no longer available to be at work protecting our communities. Remember this virus kills and has sadly led to many deaths. So this was in my view was an act which could have led to an officer or officers being hospitalised having contracted this deadly virus.”
Andy added: “This sentence offers a form of deterrent to others who may considers acting in this vile and abhorrent way towards people who happen to wear a uniform. Police officers are themselves, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. However I expect if the act of spitting at my colleagues while having Covid was the sole reason he was in front of the Judge then I very much doubt that the sentence handed down to him would be the same as he received due to the other offences he was found guilty for.
“So I will continue as will the national Federation to get to a position that these types of sentences are the norm for those who continue to attack and harm my colleagues. Thanks to our lobbying both locally and nationally, under the #ProtectTheProtectors campaign we’ve seen movements to better positions in terms of the introduction of the new law of assaulting an emergency service worker.
“The recent announcement of Government to double the starting sentence to 24 months for breaking this law. In addition we’ve also seen the new guidelines being issued by the sentencing council to, judges and magistrates in England and Wales that will have specific guidance for sentencing offences of assault on emergency service workers.”
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