Theresa May: To kill a police officer is an appalling crime

Criminals who kill police officers in England and Wales will face compulsory whole life sentences, Home Secretary Theresa May has announced.

Unveiling plans for a change in legislation at the Police Federation conference in Bournemouth, Ms May said: "To attack and kill a police officer is to attack the fundamental basis of our society."

The current minimum sentence for a police murder is 30 years.