Eight Kent Police officers were assaulted during their shifts on Monday 26 October 2020, as they worked to tackle crime and keep the public safe across the county. The officers endured kicks, bites, spits, and abuse in a series of violent attacks within less than a day.
The assaults occurred across multiple locations in Kent, from Tunbridge Wells to Margate, as detailed below:
- 1am, Tunbridge Wells: An officer called to an altercation in Addison Road was spat at twice by a suspect.
- 3am, Canterbury: During a distressed woman incident in Castle Street, an officer was hit by a thrown phone, kicked, verbally abused, and doused with water.
- 10.10am, Thanet: Two officers responding to a disturbance in Zion Place, Margate, were spat at and kicked.
- 2pm, Chatham: An officer was pushed over by a fleeing suspect following a car stop in Thorold Road.
- Shortly after 2pm, Tunbridge Wells: A police constable was kicked twice during the arrest of a woman for a public order offence in Grosvenor Road.
- 8.50pm, Margate: Two officers attending an altercation in Margate High Street suffered a headbutt and a bite. Later, another officer taking a teenage girl to hospital was bitten on the hand.
New statistics reveal that assaults on emergency workers in Kent increased by 45% between March and May 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, rising from 245 to 368 attacks. This surge has prompted a crackdown supported by new Government regulations introducing tougher penalties. Under the updated rules, anyone convicted of assaulting an emergency worker could face up to two years in prison.
Kent Police Chief Constable Alan Pughsley stated: “I continue to be appalled by the level of assaults that are being experienced by my officers whilst they simply try to do their jobs. All assaults, whatever the circumstances, remain completely unacceptable.”
He added, “Policing is dangerous, it carries risk, it always has and sadly it always will, but there will never be an acceptance on my part that assaults just ‘go with the job’. I will fight every step of the way to see those that are intent on causing my officers harm pay for their crimes.”
Following the attacks, several suspects have been arrested and bailed:
- Cosmin Ghiran, 38, from Addison Road, Tunbridge Wells, charged with assaulting an emergency worker and damaging a police van.
- A 20-year-old woman arrested and bailed in connection with the Castle Street, Canterbury incident.
- A 26-year-old man arrested and bailed after assaults in Zion Place, Margate.
- A 20-year-old man arrested for assault in Thorold Road, Chatham.
- An 18-year-old woman arrested and bailed for the incident in Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells.
- A 17-year-old girl arrested and bailed in connection with attacks in Margate High Street and QEQM Hospital.
Kent Police are urging anyone with information about these incidents to come forward as they intensify efforts to protect officers on the front line.
Originally published by UKNIP.
