asked Her Majesty's Government:How many police officers were injured on duty in England and during each of the last five years; and how many of those responsible for those injuries did not receive a custodial sentence upon conviction of that offence. [HL658]
Until the Police (Health and Safety) Regulations 1999 came into force on 14 April 1999, police forces were not required by law to record the number of injuries sustained by police officers although prior to that date forces had for several years forwarded such information to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on a voluntary basis. The HSE has complete data for the financial years 1997–98 and 1998–99. Table 1 therefore records the number of injuries to police officers in England in those financial years.
| Table 1—Injuries to Police Officers, England | ||
| 1997–98 | 1998–99 | |
| Struck by moving, flying or falling object | 134 | 154 |
| Struck by moving vehicle | 52 | 73 |
| Strike against something fixed or stationary | 83 | 94 |
| Injured whilst handling, lifting or carrying | 238 | 326 |
| Slip, trip or fall on same level | 326 | 324 |
| Falls from height | 87 | 103 |
| Exposed to or contact with harmful substance | 21 | 36 |
| Injured by an animal | 35 | 51 |
| Injuries caused by assault or violence | 527 | 448 |
| Other kind of accident | 184 | 160 |
| Totals | 1,687 | 1,769 |
Source:
Health and Safety Executive.
Table 2 records the number of persons cautioned, defendants prosecuted at magistrates' courts and convicted and sentenced at all courts for offences of assaults on police officers in England in each of the calendar years from 1994 to 1998.
Table 2
| |||||
Offence and disposal
| 1994
| 1995
| 1996
| 1997
| 1998
|
| Cautioned | 1,511 | 1,410 | 1,618 | 1,609 | 1,528 |
| Prosecuted | 13,908 | 14,297 | 1,618 | 14,837 | 14,263 |
| Convicted | 9,430 | 9,774 | 9,765 | 10,367 | 10,210 |
| Sentenced of which given: | 9,420 | 9,767 | 9,761 | 10,375 | 10,214 |
| Non-custodial sentence | 8,405 | 8,564 | 8,544 | 9,152 | 8,934 |
| Immediate custody | 1,015 | 1,203 | 1,217 | 1,223 | 1,280 |
Source:
Research, Development and Statistics, Home Office.