Rising attacks on 999 workers
TRADE UNION BACKS OUR JUSTICE FOR HEROES CAMPAIGN AND SAYS THE ATTACK FIGURES ARE JUST A FRACTION OF THE REALITY FACING EMERGENCY WORKERS
UNISON has voiced fears about the rising number of attacks on its 999 members who are feeling the force of decades of Government cost-cutting.
Just one in six assaults on emergency staff have resulted in their attacker being put behind bars in the last 12 months since new tougher sentencing powers came into force.
Earlier this month, The Chronicle launched a campaign calling for a Government review over the lack of prison sentences handed out to thugs who attack our frontline heroes.
The Justice for Heroes campaign has already been backed by MPs and emergency services, including the North East Ambulance Service which has reported 171 incidents of assaults on its staff to the police over the past three years.
Of those, 40 resulted in criminal convictions but none of them were sentenced to spend time in prison.
However, there was a breakthrough earlier this month after Kieran Ditchburn was jailed for spitting at two paramedics who had just saved his life.
UNISON has suggested that these figures are just a fraction of the reality facing our 999 heroes, with scores deciding against reporting acts of violence to the police.
The trade union has thrown its weight behind the Justice for Heroes campaign, saying emergency service workers are taking the brunt of decades of government cutbacks.
Joel Byers, UNISON North East Ambulance branch secretary, said: “UNISON is very worried by the increase in violence towards our members.
“Our member’s health and safety is our number one priority and nobody should have to worry about being assaulted at work – verbally or physically.
“Ambulance staff do their job because they want to help, and they deserve to be treated with the utmost respect.
“The criminal justice system is an important aspect of addressing and deterring violent behaviour but equally important is preventing violence wherever possible. “Emergency services are increasingly having to take the brunt of the impact of decades of cuts to core services like the police, mental health, youth services and community care.
“Restoring this funding would do a lot to prevent the number of cases that require emergency intervention. Our work to prevent violence towards our members also includes working with employers to ensure that our members have all possible protection at work.”
In 2019, more than 11,000 people were prosecuted for assaulting an emergency worker, with just a quarter of those found guilty receiving a suspended sentence or immediate custody.
Last month, the Government launched a consultation on doubling the maximum penalty for those found guilty of assaulting emergency workers to two years.
The Home Office has been approached for a comment.