Attacked West Midlands ambulance paramedics hope for swifter court justice
Last summer, as people watched England in the Euro 2024 final, paramedic Jacob Hoy was on a night shift. He was called to a football fan in Birmingham, reportedly in cardiac arrest - but the patient was drunk and Mr Hoy said he was attacked. "He grabbed hold of my wrist, twisted it and it caused a sprain to my wrist," he said. Mr Hoy is among West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) workers who have welcomed new Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidance aimed at bringing swifter sentences for people who attack them.
Mr Hoy said the assault meant he could could not do his job for eight weeks. "I had to wait for time to heal because I wouldn't have been able to lift or carry. I wouldn't be able to do CPR for any patients," he said. But Mr Hoy said it was not an isolated incident as he had been attacked a number of times before. "If you speak to any of my colleagues that have been on the ambulance service for a year or more, they will have at least one case where they have been assaulted by a patient - either verbally, physically, sexually or racially," he added.The man who attacked him was cautioned under a scheme targeting alcohol-related violence. WMAS has 30 cases involving 37 front-line workers either waiting for a court date or with such a date not set until August 2026.
Dan Knight, WMAS' head of security and safety, said: "We're seeing more cases going through the legal system, which is a positive for us."But unfortunately, because of that, we are now seeing a delay in the number of cases seen in court and getting an outcome on those cases - which is having an impact on staff morale." Steve Raven, who was assaulted while on duty as a paramedic in Leominster, Herefordshire in 2022, told an anti-violence campaign by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives it had a huge impact on him. "I thought I was going to die," he said, adding the attack "broke my jaw, caused facial nerve damage and affected me mentally as well".The man who punched him was jailed for two years in February 2024, after admitting grievous bodily harm and criminal damage.
Earlier this month, the CPS issued new guidance with the hope of getting faster justice for emergency workers assaulted while on duty. The move means prosecutors will now be able to pick a charge which best fits the seriousness of the case, including those that can be dealt with more quickly in magistrates' courts. A spokesperson said they hoped it would help reduce backlogs in the court system.The news has given some workers who have been attacked, including Mr Hoy, more optimism. "A lot of the time me and my colleagues don't generally report [assaults] because we don't have faith that the prosecution will happen," said Mr Hoy."But after hearing the new CPS guidance, that they're pushing to get more people through magistrates' court rather than having to wait for crown court, it makes me more hopeful."
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice announced an independent review to address court backlogs.'It is clear there are many cases taking far too long to be heard," a spokesperson said.
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