Officers injured on duty face fights for criminal injury payouts

OFFICERS WHO CHOOSE TO APPEAL A REJECTED CLAIM ARE FACED WITH A LENGTHY AND COSTLY PROCESS, WITH NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS. 14:35, 21 May 2025 Officers injured in the line of duty face lengthy

battles for criminal injury compensation payouts because attacks are seen as part of the job, a police union have claimed. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) provides

compensation to victims of violent crime. About 70 per cent of all applications to CICA are heard in 12 months but unions have warned that officers injured at work are being made to wait far

longer for a decision. Officers who choose to appeal a rejected claim are faced with a lengthy and costly process, with no guarantee of success. Caroline Macnaughton, north area secretary

of the Scottish Police Federation said: “Any police officer that goes to CICA has to fight far harder to prove that what they’ve suffered is actually a criminal injury as opposed to it being

seen as being part of their job.” One case is PC John Annand, 41, whose ankle was severely damaged during an arrest in 2020. His application to CICA for a criminal injury payout was

rejected in 2021 as it was not deemed he had been ­criminally injured. Following a first appeal PC Annand was then told his injury had been sustained whilst he had been carrying out “normal

duties” in the course of his work. PC Annand, who has 15 years’ service with the force and is from Angus, submitted a second appeal in 2022 and a tribunal upheld his claim. It came after he

was asked to provide medical evidence at his own cost along with photos of his injuries. The final payment for damages was less than the losses he suffered in earnings and costs. He finally

received his payment in March. SPF chair David Threadgold said: “There is almost an ­acceptance now that police officers will be assaulted trying to serve our communities. “The least that

should be expected is a swift ­resolution of those matters.” CICA is run by the UK Government Ministry of Justice which handles compensation claims for victims of crime. Article continues

below A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The majority of cases are decided within 12 months but more complex cases can take longer to assess.”