Criminals who weaponise coronavirus to try and “infect” police officers will feel the “full force of the law”, namely tougher prison sentences, Priti Patel has warned, as an investigation conducted by the Telegraph found at least 30 officers a day are being spat or coughed at.
The Home Secretary has said any attack on a police officer was “completely unacceptable” as the Home Office announced plans to double the maximum sentences for assaulting a frontline worker from one to two years.
“But spitting, coughing, or threatening to infect one of our outstanding police officers with coronavirus is utterly despicable and anyone found guilty of it will face the full force of the law,” she said.
A new law in 2018 increased the maximum sentence for “common assault or battery” on an emergency worker from six to 12 months, but the Home Office is now speaking about doubling the sentence after a sharp rise in these kinds of offences.
Max Hill, QC, head of the CPS, told the Daily Telegraph: “These ‘coronavirus coughs’ are becoming something of a grotesque phenomenon. So I want to make clear that abusing NHS staff, police and other vital workers such as carers by coughing or spitting will be charged as assault.”
Matt Webb, chair of the Sussex police federation, said: “The failure of the courts to recognise the seriousness of this incident and pass an appropriate sentence is staggering.
“Weaponising a virus potentially to kill someone or someone from their immediate family when they are just doing their job is unacceptable. The courts must recognise not just the act itself but the fear it causes.”
An investigation conducted by the Daily Telegraph into the 43 English and Welsh Police Forces found 200 incidents a week of spitting or coughing at officers since the coronavirus outbreak. Some forces say it has doubled in the most recent four weeks. Most incidents involve the offenders telling officers they have the virus before spitting.
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Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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