Emergency staff are victims of violence as they do their jobs
FROM kicking a police officer to pulling a knife on a hospital nurse, these are some of the unbelievable crimes committed against dedicated emergency workers.
The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act came into force in November, 2018, as a response to the increase seen in recent years in the number of attacks on police officers, fire and rescue personnel, prison officers and certain NHS workers.
According to figures released by the Ministry of Justice, there were 26,000 assaults on police officers in 2018 and more than 15% of NHS staff said they had experienced physical violence from patients, relatives or the public in the past year. Assaults on prison officers rose by 70% in the three years to 2017.
Following one case, Detective Inspector Vincent Easton, of South Wales Police, said: “One assault on an officer is one too many. Police officers and staff do not go to work to be assaulted or threatened.
“Each and every one of these instances is totally unacceptable and the impact is felt not only on those who are subjected to these assaults but also to officers’ colleagues and families.
“Police officers show incredible bravery every day and their dedication helps keep our communities safe. Police officers and staff are people and committed public servants.” These are some of the shocking cases we’ve seen at court in the past year:
The naked woman who smashed a police officer’s head into a mirror and tore out clumps of her hair. The defendant: Liza Williams, 45, from Rushfield Gardens in Bridgend, admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. What did she do? The “completely naked” defendant smashed a police officer’s head into a mirror and pulled out clumps of her hair when she asked her to put some clothes on. Williams shattered the mirror as she slammed the officer’s head into the glass and punched her colleague before bashing her head against a heated oven. Why did she do it? When she was interviewed by the police Williams said she was embarrassed to find herself naked in front of two strangers and “lost it” when one of them grabbed her arm. The sentence: Williams was jailed for 12 months. What did the judge say? Judge Eleri Rees said: “It should never be thought that being assaulted is somehow part of the job description of a police officer.”
The inmate who punched a prison officer who asked him to stop using a computer. The defendant: Nicholas Morgan, 20, who does not have a fixed address, admitted unlawful wounding and two counts of indecent exposure. What did he do? The defendant punched a guard at Parc Prison, Bridgend, when he was asked to stop using a computer, leaving him needing stitches to a deep wound on his forehead. Morgan went on to expose himself to female staff at a probation hostel and psychiatric unit, causing them to feel vulnerable doing their jobs. What did the prosecutor say? Clare Wilks, prosecuting, said: “He [the victim] was just trying to do his job. He was just trying to assist the defendant.” Why did he do it? One doctor concluded he was at times “feigning mental illness to manipulate scenarios”. The sentence: Morgan was sent to a young offender institution for 19 months and ordered to register as a sex offender for five years.
The prisoner who laughed after throwing a bucket full of urine and poo at a prison guard. The defendant: Benjamin Bevan, 31, from Heol Tir Du in Morriston, Swansea, admitted administering a poison or noxious substance. What did he do? Bevan, who had been locked up for biting off part of someone’s ear, laughed after throwing a bucket of urine and excrement in a prison officer’s face. What did the victim say? In a personal statement read out in court, the victim said: “I felt humiliated and degraded, especially as they were laughing at me.” Why did he do it? The defendant said he wanted to be separated from other prisoners at Parc Prison because he wanted to beat his addiction to Spice. He also claimed he was “put up to it” by other prisoners. The sentence: Bevan was jailed for 18 months.