GWENT’S Police and Crime Commissioner is urging MPs to back the creation of a new law to allow tougher sentences for those who assault emergency services workers.

Rhondda MP Chris Bryant's Crime (Assaults on Emergency Staff) Bill - to create an offence of assaulting an emergency services worker - goes before Parliament this week.

Jeff Cuthbert wants all MPs to turn up to vote to make attacks on emergency services workers such as police, fire and ambulance crews an aggravated offence.

“Emergency services workers do a difficult job in often challenging circumstances. Unfortunately, physical and verbal assaults on them are common, although significantly under-reported,” said Mr Cuthbert.

“They have a difficult enough job to do. This is not something that should ever be tolerated.

“Most people in Gwent would agree this behaviour is unacceptable. The men and women who put on their uniforms every day should not have to expect this.”

Mr Bryant called existing legislation, relating only to police officers on duty “far too weak” with prosecutions rare and sentences “extremely lenient.”

“And there is still no legal protection for paramedics, doctors or nurses,” he said.

The Police Federation of England and Wales estimates that a police officer is attacked every 15 seconds. More than 103 Gwent Police officers have been assaulted on duty since 2015, including 24 custody suite staff..

In Gwent, police officers have been strangled, stabbed, punched, kicked, slapped and bitten, with many needing hospital treatment.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service recorded a 158 per cent increase in attacks against crews last year, with Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Newport among the areas with the highest number of incidents.

And figures issued last December revealed more than 18,000 physical attacks and 11,000 verbal attacks on NHS staff in Wales in the previous five years.

Rhondda MP Chris Bryant Mr Bryant will present the Crime Bill for its second reading in the House of Commons tomorrow.