#ProtectTheProtectors – and hand out longer sentences

POLICING should continue to campaign for longer sentences for those who assault police officers on duty, the Police Federation of England and Wales Annual Conference heard.

This point was emphasised during a session on #ProtectTheProtectors where the Parliamentary Bill aimed to afford better protection for officers from assaults and sexual abuse, was a focal point.

A number of protections will be brought in with the new law, but Holly Lynch MP told PFEW Conference delegates that sentencing guidelines remained ‘frustrating’.

The new Bill will see offenders getting a maximum of 12 months for assaults on police and other emergency service workers.

“The law will change and that sends out the right message,” she said.

“And while sentences for offenders have doubled to 12 months it’s not quite where we think they should be, we were very nearly there.”

She added that all agencies including the Crown Prosecution Service need to play their part to make the new law effective.

Fellow panellists MPs Chris Bryant, who brought the Private Members Bill, and Philip Davies were praised for their part in getting the bill through Parliament. It’s now being read in the House of Lords.

Mr Bryant told conference that the bill could be on the statute books by the end of the year, while Mr Davies said everyone needs to keep pushing for longer sentences.

“We need to keep going,” he said.

“There are too many people in Government who think people shouldn’t go to prison, we need to get sentences to two years and then to five years.

“I won’t be satisfied until we get proper sentences for people who abuse and assault officers.”

Spitting as an aggravating factor for sentencing was also not included in the new legislation.

Mr Bryant added: “There’s absolutely no reason why people shouldn’t get five years for assaulting a police officer and people spitting on officers should go to prison.”

West Yorkshire Federation Chairman Nick Smart put the campaign in context for delegates telling them that on average five of his members were assaulted every day.

He added that the 12 months maximum sentence for assaults on officers was less than can be handed down for animal cruelty offences.