A DEMAND for tougher punishments for those who attack emergency services members has come after two officers were assaulted in Basingstoke.

In November last year, PC Paul Headen and PC Oliver Green were called to an address after Mark Watson attacked his 85-year--old mother.

The pair made attempts to detain Watson but he resisted, hitting PC Green multiple times before pinning him to the floor, kicking him in the groin, and then punching him in the face.

The incident left the officer with a black eye.

PC Headen was also assaulted, but by drawing his Taser he managed to create space between him and Watson before making an arrest - but the assailant ran away with his handcuffs still attached and was not located for almost a month.

Watson, of Sarum Hill, Kings Furlong, pleaded guilty to one count of causing actual bodily harm (ABH), two counts of assaulting a emergency worker and one count of escaping custody, and in January was handed a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Due to this sentence, officers are now calling for the justice system to be able to take a harsher stance on those who attack members of the emergency services.

Chairman of the Hampshire Police Federation, Alex Charge, said: “We saw recently where footballer Jack Grealish was punched in the back of the head and there was immediate custodial action taken.

“But we are hearing on a number of occasions where emergency workers are being punched, spat at or worse and people are getting away with it. There seems to be no deterrent.

“Historically it has been part of the job that police officers are putting themselves in harm’s way, but why is it almost deemed socially acceptable for someone to hit an officer and think there will be no ramifications?

“There must be a clear message from magistrates and judges that this behaviour will not be tolerated.”

A recent survey by the Police Federation revealed 20 per cent of Hampshire Constabulary officers who participated suffered one or more injuries that required medical attention as a result of work-related violence in the past year – losing more than 484 days in sickness absence.

The Police Federation of England and Wales’ Protect The Protectors campaign was launched in February 2017.