Rise in the number of attacks on North Yorkshire’s police officers during the coronavirus lockdown

There’s calls for better respect to North Yorkshire’s police officers after a sharp rise in assaults during lockdown.

Since late March, 87 assaults against North Yorkshire Police officers and staff have been reported.

During the same period in 2019, the number was 55 – a rise of 58 per cent.

North Yorkshire Traffic Constable David Minto was responding to a call out near Knaresborough involving a group of minors, but when one of the suspect's relatives arrived the situation turned violent.

Officer Minto, said: "The youths were very co-operative. They didn't cause any trouble when we approached them, but it was when one of their relatives arrived that the incident happened.

"It turned into a grapple. He sort of placed his foot across my leg and pull me across him. I fell to the ground but my foot was trapped and that's how the damage was caused to my ankle."

Officer Minto sustained a broken fibula and tibia in the incident which happened in October last year.

He said: "I knew straight away there was some serious damage. I could've suffered further injury if my colleague wasn't there to divert his attention."

The injury took weeks to heal, but Officer Minto said it wasn't just the physical damage which was hard to recover from.

Officer Minto, added: "There was obviously dealing with the pain. But the feeling of helplessness was difficult. That helplessness feeling was very consuming.

"I had a three year old son at the time and I was unable to do the typical 'daddy duties' with him like playing football in the park. Those things were immediately removed because I was on crutches and had a cast on.

Attacks have increased by almost 60 per cent since late March, according to figures, with officers reporting a trend of biting and spitting among offenders.

One officer was also bitten and spat at, and another was hospitalised after being kicked in the face.

North Yorkshire Police chief constable Lisa Winward slammed the attacks as “sickening and wrong” and her calls for officers to be treated with more respect have been echoed by commissioner Julia Mulligan.

“We should all be disgusted by this increase in assaults,” Ms Mulligan said.

“Police officers and staff put themselves on the frontline, run towards danger and keep us safe.

“They deserve respect and support and I echo the chief constable’s vow to deal with offenders robustly.”

Ministers plan to bring forward legislation to double the maximum sentence for those convicted of assaults on frontline staff including police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

It is the second change in two years after a 2018 law increased the maximum sentence from six months to a year.

The home secretary said the new legislation "sends a clear and simple message to these vile thugs - you will not get away with such appalling behaviour and you will be subject to the force of the law".