ASSAULTS against police in Suffolk rose last year –but have dropped so far this year.A spokeswoman said latest figures show 140 officers were assaulted from April to September.

ASSAULTS against police in Suffolk rose last year –but have dropped so far this year.

A spokeswoman said latest figures show 140 officers were assaulted from April to September.

In 2001/2002 there were a total of 297 assaults on police, compared to 255 in 2000/2001.

A Home Office spokeswoman said nationally, serious assaults on police surged from 299 in 1999/2000 to 345 in 2001/2002 with one fatality each year.

But minor assaults decreased by 1,000 to 11,564.

Last week, a teenage girl who cut a police officer's eyeball leaving his career in the balance, started a ten-month custodial sentence. Magistrates heard how Pc Alan Oliver had to see a specialist after the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, lashed out at him following a drinking binge in Christchurch Park on September 25.

On returning to her Ipswich care home she had become violent and smashed a window. Pc Oliver attempted to calm the girl but she lashed out punching him in the eyeball.

In February, 29-year-old Pc Anthony Owens was stabbed in Ipswich.

Restaurant worker Christopher Adams, 42, of Christchurch Street, was cleared at Ipswich Crown Court in June, of deliberately stabbing Pc Owens and said that he was sorry the officer had been injured while doing his duty.

Pc Owens had gone to Mexi Mix Restaurant in the town's St Helen's Street to investigate a burglar alarm that had gone off in the early hours.

He was trying to open the gates at the back of the restaurant when it was flung open from the other side, he was struck with a knife.

Mr Andrews claimed he had investigated after hearing noises, and had flung his arms across his body and accidentally stabbed the policeman in the process.

Matthew Oakshott 25 of Byron Road Ipswich jailed for seven years in July 2001, for trying to kill off-duty Inspector Graham Underwood.

Insp Underwood, 38, was waiting for a taxi in Lloyds Avenue in January 2001, when Oakshott had barged to the front of the queue and insisted on being dropped off in Byron Road.

Oakshott had climbed into the back of Insp Underwood's taxi, and became increasingly aggressive during the journey when he realised the taxi was heading towards Tuddenham Road. Insp Underwood suffered multiple stab wounds to his head and neck from Oakshott's DIY knife.