Prosecuting those who assault emergency workers
The CPS takes attacks on our emergency workers extremely seriously. They must be able to go about their critical work without being assaulted and suffering unacceptable attacks. These are just some of the successful cases prosecuted by CPS London South in recent weeks.
An ambulance crew was called to attend a road traffic collision at Lombard Road, SW11. They arrived to find the driver both drunk and erratic and had to physically restrain him from wandering into traffic. Despite their efforts, the driver pushed and slapped one of the crew multiple times to the chest. He pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker and was sentenced to six weeks’ custody to run alongside a similar sentence for charges relating to the motor vehicle. The paramedic received £100 compensation.
A man was being detained on a matter by police in Sutton when he reacted with hostility and had to be restrained. He then attempted to bite one of the officers. On arrival at the police station he launched a barrage of abuse on another officer, including comments about his sexuality. The defendant pleaded guilty to common assault of an emergency worker and to the verbal abuse of the other officer, receiving an eight-week prison sentence. This included an additional week he will have to serve for the homophobic comments he made to the second officer.
Police stopped a motor vehicle on Malden Road, Cheam and the intoxicated driver appeared to feign unconsciousness. An ambulance was called and the defendant then spat out in the ambulance as he was examined, requiring items to be later cleaned and destroyed. He said he had COVID 19 and deliberately blew in the face of the paramedic. For criminal damage to the ambulance and common assault on an emergency worker he was given an 18-month community order, with 60 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £50 compensation to the paramedic and £100 for damage to the ambulance.
An intoxicated woman who was assaulting her ex-partner in the street outside her Greenwich address by kicking and punching him, kicked out at an arresting officer. When restrained, she also urinated on the officer. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a community order with 160 hours of unpaid work for both offences - assaulting her partner and the officer. The officer received £100 compensation.
A prison officer at HMP Wandsworth attended a remand prisoner’s cell to serve him food. In response, the defendant launched punches and strikes on him, causing a nosebleed, before he was restrained by other prison staff. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment for assaulting an emergency worker.
Police attended an address in Battersea in response to a report that a woman was intoxicated and assaulting family members. They found the defendant drunk in charge of her five-year-old son and arrested her. She kicked at one officer and threatened another. She pleaded guilty to assaulting the two officers and, along with the allegation regarding the child, was sentenced to a 12-month community order.