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.<\/p>\n
Steve Kent, Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, called the figures \u2018outrageous\u2019.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
But for Steve it seems very little has changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very disappointing – 10% of people convicted and an average prison term, when applied, of just two months is absolutely outrageous. It\u2019s not acceptable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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\u2019t have before.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t seem like anything\u2019s changed. They\u2019ve got the tools but they\u2019re just unwilling to use them, which is why we\u2019re going to have to push for minimum sentences, certainly for assaults that involve injury rather than just a simple push and shove.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn assault involving an injury should carry a mandatory minimum sentence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve believes the public are now right behind that stance and want to see officers get the protection in law they deserve.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s traction now amongst the public,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever I put out something in the public about officers being assaulted, the comments are overwhelmingly that these people should be jailed and why aren\u2019t these people being jailed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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