Halton county’s worst for attacks on officers
HALTON was the most dangerous part of Cheshire for police last year.
An analysis of Home Office figures has revealed the parts of the country where police officers were most likely to get assaulted on the job.
There were 112 assaults on police constables in Halton – covering Runcorn and Widnes – between June 2018 and the end of May 2019.
That is a higher rate than any other part of the county, working out as 87 incidents for every 100,000 people living in the area.
Only 24% of the antipolice attacks resulted in an injury.
Halton was followed by Warrington (63 police constable assaults for every 100,000 people), Cheshire East (58) and Cheshire West And Chester (53).
Cheshire East had the most assaults against officers in total – 191.
Shocking incidents in the area during the period covered by the data included a savage attack on a police constable on High Street in Runcorn on December 14, 2018, when Daniel Ward, 26, of Norton Hill, Runcorn bit off part of the policeman’s ear.
He was sentenced to 13 years in prison after admitting two counts of knifepoint robbery as well.
Halton was also higher than anywhere in Merseyside, where Liverpool had a rate of 63 per 100,000 – but with a much higher injury percentage of 62%, followed by St Helens (41), Wirral (39), Knowsley (28) and Sefton (27).
The figures – which do not include more serious assaults such as attempted murder – show the number of assaults on police officers in Cheshire has risen for the last two years in a row.
There were 378 in the 12 months to June 2017.
That had risen to 553 by June 2018, and 645 in the 12 months to June 2019.
John Apter, Police Federation Of England And Wales national chairman, said: “The rise in assaults on our officers is completely unacceptable and must never be seen as just part of the job.
“The recent surge of severe, high-profile attacks is a serious concern and the federation will continue to push for increased protections for officers including a wider roll-out of Taser.
“But Taser is just part of the solution; there must also be a stronger legal deterrent.
“My colleagues feel failed by the criminal justice system that should be there to support them when the thugs who attack them are let off with little more than a slap on the wrist.
“We welcome the Government’s pledge to double the current maximum sentencing to 24 months – something we initially fought hard for through our Protect The Protectors campaign – and I will be discussing this with the Home Secretary when I meet with her in the coming weeks to ensure those who attack my colleagues are dealt with severely.”
The recent rise in antipolice attacks is not limited to Cheshire.
Across England and Wales, police forces have recorded a steep rise in assaults on police constables in the line of duty.
Home Office data shows that in the year to June 2019 there were 30,513 assaults (with or without injury) on officers – up from 27,237 in the previous 12 months and 18,220 in the year before that.
Some 10,363 attacks in the year to June 2019 caused an injury.
Across England and Wales, Stevenage was the worst place for attacks against police officers.
There were 152 per 100,000 people living there.
That was followed by Norwich (145 per 100,000 people), and Westminster (126 per 100,000 people).
The figures only include assaults recorded by police, meaning that the true numbers could be even higher.