Imprison those who attack key workers

I HAVE three friends who are paramedics, and in the last few months two of them have been attacked four times and the other twice. The attacks were both verbal and physical – the latter included having bricks, metal bars, rocks and other missiles hurled at them and their vehicles.

It’s time to stop pussyfooting this issue and introduce automatic, mandatory MINIMUM custodial sentences of AT LEAST two years, for attacking any member of the emergency services, verbally or physically, with absolutely no possibility of remission or early release.

Courts should be instructed to ignore whatever sob-stories are presented by defence lawyers in mitigation of their clients’ criminal behaviour – such as their having had a deprived childhood; being on drugs or alcohol; or that a custodial sentence would impact negatively on their family or result in them losing their job etc., etc., ad nauseum. And if the offenders are ‘under age’ then the parents should be held responsible.

Our courts are far too soft on those who indulge in antisocial behaviour – in many cases letting them off with little more than a slap on the wrist, even when the accused has a long list of previous offences. If people behave like mindless scum, they should be treated as such.

Robert Readman Dorset