Man punched nurse on day of new law
A YOUNG Derby man attacked a nurse – on the day new laws were introduced to protect NHS staff and emergency workers.
A court heard Jordan Kerwood had drunk a bottle of vodka before self-harming and calling for an ambulance. When he got to the Royal Derby Hospital, medics refused to let the 20-year-old go out for a cigarette. He “became aggressive and confronted people” before lashing out at the male nurse, punching him in the face.
Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court was told that if Kerwood had carried out the assault the day before he might only have been handed a community order. But, on November 13 a new charge of assaulting an emergency worker had come into force with harsher sentencing guidelines for those who attack nurses, paramedics and police officers.
Magistrates gave Kerwood, of Ellesmere Avenue, a 16-week jail term, suspended for a year, telling him: “This is a shocking offence at a busy hospital, when you were in drink, against a medical member of staff who is there to protect you.
“You became confrontational and violent and you were warned several times to calm down. With the new guidelines in place, this crosses the custodial threshold.
“But you are 20, have your own vulnerabilities and you are a young man of previous good character, so we feel we can suspend it.”
A new charge of assaulting an emergency worker means people who assault or attack emergency workers face longer jail terms.
The new offence doubles the maximum sentence from six to 12 months in prison and covers police, prison officers, custody officers, fire service personnel, search and rescue services and paramedics.
It also means judges must consider tougher sentences for a range of other offences, including GBH and sexual assault, if the victim is an emergency worker.
Jonathan Greenhill, mitigating, said: “The law had just changed that morning. Had this case been the day before it could have been dealt with differently and might only have been a caution at the police station had it not been for the change in legislation.”
As well as the suspended jail term, Kerwood was ordered to carry out 25 days of rehabilitation activity with the probation service.