ATTACKS on police in Cumbria hit a four-year high during the coronavirus pandemic, figures reveal.

The number of assaults across England and Wales has been described as “disgusting” by the Police Federation, which says many offences involved spitting and coughing during a time of fear over the spread of Covid-19.

Home Office data shows 399 attacks on police officers were recorded by Cumbria Constabulary between April 2020 and March 2021.

That was an increase from the 375 reported the previous year, and the highest number since comparable figures began in 2017-18.

Of the attacks in 2020-21, 62 resulted in an injury to the officer, compared to 67 the previous year, while in 337 cases the officer escaped physically unhurt.

The figures reflect a jump in such attacks across England and Wales, where recorded assaults on officers increased 14 per cent during the pandemic period, to around 37,000. They included 11,200 which left officers injured.

The creation of “assault with injury on a constable” as a new category of crime five years ago has meant more assaults on officers are now recorded.

However, the Home Office said the figures are still likely to be an underestimate because the categories showing an attack on an officer do not include more serious offences such as attempted murder.

John Apter, national chairman of the Police Federation for England and Wales, said the data showed the “disgusting level of violence” faced by officers working throughout the pandemic.

He said: “More than 100 of my colleagues are assaulted every single day – that’s a staggering number and something society must not accept.

“Many of these recorded attacks involve vile individuals who have spat on or coughed at police officers, weaponising the virus and threatening to spread it to them and their families.”

Under the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Bill, the maximum prison sentence for common assault on an emergency worker, including a police officer, is 12 months.

Mr Apter added: “This unjustified violence is a stain on society and needs to be dealt with robustly.”

The figures released by the Home Office also show in Cumbria there were 26 attacks recorded on emergency workers, other than police officers, which resulted in injury during 2020-21. Across England and Wales, that number was 2,282.

The Home Office said it had provided funding to police forces in England and Wales for more than 7,000 Taser devices to help protect officers.

Chief Superintendent Sarah Jackson said: “Our officers and staff work incredibly hard to keep people in Cumbria safe and there is absolutely no excuse for any of them to be assaulted.

“Assaults against police officers will not be tolerated and each incident will be subject of thorough investigation to bring offenders to justice. Not only do these incidents have the potential to remove officers from the front-line, they also cause distress to the officers and their families.

“No person should ever be assaulted as part of their occupation and the Constabulary will continue to work closely with the criminal justice system to support our officers and staff."