Essex Police condemn attacks on officers as figures show rise

Home Office figures show Essex Police recorded 1,492 assaults on emergency workers in the year to March.

Most of the alleged victims were police constables – there were 1,181 assaults without injury on PCs last year and 267 with injury, while there were 44 on other emergency workers.

The total number recorded last year was up from 1,442 in 2020-21, when assaults on emergency workers who are not police constables were recorded for the first time.

Across the two nations, 44,600 emergency worker assaults were recorded in 2021-22 – a rise of 10% on the 40,400 the year before.

Since the Assaults on Emergency Workers Bill came into law in 2018, the maximum prison sentence for common assault on an emergency worker has been 12 months.

In April, a Colchester thug who assaulted five police officers was spared an immediate prison term.

Ryan Weller, of Museum Street, Colchester, committed 16 crimes on the night between February 18 and 19, including assaulting five officers.

• READ MORE: Thug assaulted five police officers in Colchester in spree

The 30-year-old also damaged Colchester Hospital and property belonging to Essex Police.

He was sentenced to 50 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £640 in total to compensate his victims.

He must undertake 20 days of a rehabilitation requirement and must carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "None of our officers should have to put up with being assaulted at work – whether that’s being spat at, hit or driven at.

"We cannot underestimate the impact that these actions have on our officers and volunteers, whether they’re physical or psychological.

"Our officers work hard to serve the people of Essex, and, just like you, have loved ones to get home to at the end of a shift.

"Welfare and support to officers is really important to us and there is support available within the force to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of our officers."