Cambridgeshire spitting offences soar during lockdown

Between January 27 and March 22 there were 134 coughing or spitting offences recorded by police - but that rose to 245 between March 23, when lockdown began, and May 17.

Police officers were often the target, and the number of offences against officers trebled in the same time period from 12 to 36.

The figures include assault or assault by beating of a constable

Assault or assault by beating of an emergency worker (except a constable)

Assault Police - Assault with Injury - Assault occasioning actual bodily harm

Assault without injury - Assault on prison custody officer

Assault without injury on a constable (Police Act offence)

Attempted assault or assault by beating of a constable

Attempted assault without injury on a constable (Police Act offence)

A Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said: “The potential anxiety and stress caused by incidents where officers are physically assaulted, or coughed at or spat on, cannot be underestimated. This is a serious concern, not only for the officers and their colleagues but their immediate family.

“At this particular time when the nation faces a public health crisis, we need to rely on our frontline officers to support our NHS colleagues in keeping people safe more than ever. They cannot do this if they are injured and sick.

“Most importantly it should be remembered that police officers and staff are people, they are fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. When they are attacked they become victims just like any other, but victims who have been attacked while trying to protect others from being victimised.

“It is never acceptable to assume that assaults upon police officers and staff should be tolerated, it is not simply ‘part of the job’. Officers do have access to spit hoods to protect themselves and the public if they feel an individual is going to subject them to this sort of behaviour.”