#ProtectTheProtectors: An assault involving an injury should carry a mandatory minimum sentence

JUST 1,000 of the 12,600 people convicted of assaulting a police officer got jail time last year and those that did served just two months according to Ministry of Defence statistics.

Steve Kent, Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, called the figures ‘outrageous’.

It’s been a year since the Protect the Protectors legislation came into force which gives judges and magistrates greater sentencing powers for those who attack emergency service workers.

But for Steve it seems very little has changed.

“It’s very disappointing – 10% of people convicted and an average prison term, when applied, of just two months is absolutely outrageous. It’s not acceptable,” he said.

“The whole point of bringing in legislation was to raise awareness in the courts system and to give magistrates and judges the power to give appropriate sentences which they didn’t have before.

“It doesn’t seem like anything’s changed. They’ve got the tools but they’re just unwilling to use them, which is why we’re going to have to push for minimum sentences, certainly for assaults that involve injury rather than just a simple push and shove.

“An assault involving an injury should carry a mandatory minimum sentence.”

Steve believes the public are now right behind that stance and want to see officers get the protection in law they deserve.

“There’s traction now amongst the public,” he said.

“Whenever I put out something in the public about officers being assaulted, the comments are overwhelmingly that these people should be jailed and why aren’t these people being jailed.

“There’s public support for it. This needs to improve. It needs to drastically increase and the only way I think they can do that is if the courts are mandated to give minimum sentences.”