Crime cash for assaulted officers fund

MONEY from criminals will help police officers who have been assaulted, the Scottish Government has said.

Scottish courts have dealt with about 5000 cases of assaults on police officers in the last two years, it was reported today.

In future, anyone convicted of such an assault will contribute through a restitution order.

Money raised would go the Police Benevolent Fund and the Scottish facility run by the charity, Police Treatment Centres.

Attacks on police officers have risen in recent years with an average of 70 a day across the UK, it has been reported.

New figures show between January 2010 and February this year that 4890 people were convicted of assaulting police officers in Scotland.

The proposal, which has been put forward by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, will be part of the forthcoming Victims and Witnesses Bill.