Cleveland Police officer who was stabbed last year welcomes tougher sentences for emergency staff attacks

By Kris Jepson

A Cleveland Police officer who was stabbed last year has told ITV News Tyne Tees he hopes a new law will deter people from attacking emergency workers.

The new law, which comes into force in November, means that anybody found guilty of common assault against police, NHS, Fire or prison workers will now face 12 month sentences, rather than six months.

Watch @krisjepson's report here:

PC Mick Johnson was presented a bravery award after tackling a man with a knife in a shop in Hartlepool last May. He survived being stabbed in the arm by the man.

According to the Ministry of Justice, there have been 26,000 assaults on police officers in the past year and 17,000 assaults on NHS staff nationally.

In the North East there have been 67 attacks on North East firefighters between September 2017 to September 2018 and 961 NHS staff were attacked in 2016/17.

The Ministry of Justice released figures of North East attacks on police officers in the last year.

• Cleveland Police - 244 assaults

• Durham Police - 370 assaults

• North Yorkshire Police - 324 assaults

• Northumbria Police - 623 assaults

Labour politician, Chris Bryant MP, presented the private members bill to the Commons and it was given Royal Assent today, meaning the law will come into place later this year.

The Justice Minister, Rory Stewart MP, said it is important this law acts as a deterrent to anybody who contemplates attacking our emergency services.