* Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones.
A police boss is urging the courts to inflict the maximum penalty
on people found guilty of spitting our coughing in the faces of officers saying
they were infected with coronavirus.
North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones has been
sickened after hearing of frontline police officers and other emergency workers
being subjected to the “vile practice”.
Mr Jones, a former police
inspector, spoke out after hearing of a growing number of cases.
The issue has also been
raised by First Minister Mark Drakeford who is “very concerned” about reports of police
being assaulted, including being coughed and spat on.
Earlier this month a woman
appeared before magistrates in Mold after spitting in the faces of two officers
in Holywell.
The offence happened after the officers were called to deal
with a disturbance involving a man and a woman at a kebab shop in the town.
After the man was detained the woman became aggressive with both
officers and spat in their faces.
She was charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker
under Section 5 of the Public Order Act.
The woman received a 26-week prison sentence which
was suspended for 12 months and she was ordered to pay £150 in compensation
together with a Victim Surcharge of £128 and a curfew for 26 weeks with
electronic monitoring
Other incidents are understood to
have taken place in Flint and Bangor while a man from Rhyl was recalled to jail
after preparing to spit at police whilst saying he had COVID-19.
Mr Jones said: “Unfortunately, we have had a number of examples of
people spitting or coughing in the faces of officers in North Wales.
“The sentence was criticised by the Police Federation for being
unduly lenient and it is unfortunate the magistrates did not take the
opportunity to send a message out.
“The Sentencing Council for England and Wales, which produces guidelines on sentencing for
the judiciary and criminal justice professionals, go by the seriousness of the
offence and not by the evidence and there is nothing more serious than
breaking the law to spread a deadly virus.
“This vile behaviour by a minority of offenders are putting these
brave frontline staff at risk
of contracting this awful virus, with potentially fatal consequences.”
After hearing the punishment imposed on the woman who was
prosecuted following the incident in Holywell, Mark Jones, General Secretary of
North Wales Police Federation, said: “I am absolutely appalled at this pathetic sentence.
“Two
police officers, carrying out their public duty have been disgustingly spat on,
in their faces, by this vile person. My two colleagues have received no justice
whatsoever and have been completely let down by the judiciary.
“Given
the national crisis we are in with COVID-19; the dangerous and killer virus
that it is, for the Courts to give a light slap on the wrist for this
disgusting act is shameful.
“We
seemed to be making some progress recently with tougher sentences being issued
to those who weaponised COVID-19 but with taking one step forward we have now
taken two steps back."
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