HARLOW MP Robert Halfon has pledged to take action over the decision to not jail a man who sexually assaulted a female police officer.

As reported on YH, Thomas Weaver had been drinking when he was involved in a disturbance at The Chequers pub in Market Street, Harlow, on Sunday 19 August last year.

As he was being driven home, he sexually assaulted one of the officers over her clothes.

Weaver, 25, stood trial at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 26 June and was convicted by a jury of sexual assault and two counts of assaulting a constable in the execution of their duty.

He was sentenced on Wednesday 24 July to a total of five months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Weaver of Rayners Lane, Harrow, Middlesex, was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 40 days of rehabilitation activity.

He must also pay £1,250 compensation to the officer he sexually assaulted and £525 to each of the officers he spat at.

Harlow MP Robert Halfon has pledged to take action. Mr Halfon said: “This is a shocking sentence. Unacceptable. Hard working Harlow police officers should not have to put up with this. The sentence gives entirely the wrong signal to crimimals. I have every sympathy for the police officer that has suffered in this way.

“I will be writing to the Justice Secretary and Home Secretary to ask them to review this and will raise the case in parliament”.