‘Abhorrent’ attacks on police staff

Police Scotland officers and staff were subjected to almost 90 coronavirusrelated attacks in the first few weeks of lockdown, figures show.

The Scottish Conservatives, who obtained the data, said it was “abhorrent” key workers had suffered the assaults. Liam Kerr, the party’s justice spokesman, further branded the attacks “completely unacceptable”.

Police Scotland revealed its officers and other staff members were subjected to 265 assaults in the period March 24 to April 30.

These included 89 attacks classed as coronavirus-related, where officers were, for example, coughed or spat on.

In response to a Freedom of Information request, the force revealed a study was carried out analysing crimes between the two dates.

It said: “The results of this exercise identified 265 crimes of assault of an emergency worker where the victim was a Police Scotland officer or staff member – 89 of which were identified to be Covid-19 related.”

Mr Kerr said: “These assaults on police officers are completely unacceptable and the SNP government must condemn them in the strongest possible terms.”