A MAN has been charged with a spate of offences including assaulting an emergency worker and racially aggravated public order.

This comes after threats against a woman’s life were made in Lymington on Friday November 19.

Police were called to Widbury Road at around 7pm, and later arrested Gary Martin Spencer.

The 46-year-old, of Buckstone Close, Everton, has been charged with the following: two counts of threats to commit criminal damage; one count of possession of a Class B drug; two counts of public order offences; one count of racially aggravated public order; and one count of assaulting an emergency worker.

He appeared before Southampton Magistrates Court yesterday (November 22) and was released on conditional bail until January 31 2022.

Police have also charged a woman, Verity Lloyd, 21, of Windmill Close, Ryde on the Isle of Wight with five counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

This comes after a woman was assaulted in the early hours of yesterday on Winchester Road, Eastleigh.

She has been released on bail and will appear before Southampton Magistrates on Tuesday December 21.

Shocking stats show that 1,304 police officers in Hampshire were assaulted last year. That is 25 every week and more than three officers assaulted every single day.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Police Federation said: “There is a worrying trend of assaults on our police officers – and action is needed now to stop this.

“We can never underestimate the impact of these assaults on officers. The physical wounds heal much quickly than the psychological ones.

“Frankly, there are just not enough officers. Too many times officers are either alone and or with one other officer trying to control violent offenders. If there were more officers, firstly the offender may think again about being violent. Secondly it is easier for officers to get control of them when there are more of us.

"We also need the criminal justice system to realise the seriousness of these assaults and issue appropriate sentencing.

"There are too many times when offenders are given lenient sentences or not even prosecuted. Magistrates and judges must view the BWV prior to sentencing."