SECAmb has welcomed recent sentences for people who have assaulted ambulance crews and other emergency services workers.

They include a six-month prison sentence handed to a 24-year-old Bexhill man who assaulted a paramedic by punching them in their upper left arm, and a rehabilitation and community order for a 48-year-old Canterbury man who spat on an emergency care support worker and a police officer.

Dave Monk, SECAmb security manager, said: “My colleagues come to work to serve their communities and help people. It is never acceptable that they face violence and abuse just for going about their job, and we welcome these recent sentences.

“We are committed to ensuring that those who engage in abusive or violent behaviour towards our staff are held accountable and prosecuted for their actions and we urge people to report any incident so we can ensure appropriate action is taken forward wherever possible.”

In 2022, SECAmb joined ambulance trusts across the country in supporting the launch of a national campaign which aims to address the growing aggression and violence aimed at ambulance staff.

The Work Without Fear campaign was instigated because of a growing number of ambulance staff reporting being abused or attacked. Nationally, nearly 12,000 staff – an increase of 35 per cent in the last five years – were targeted, but the most significant rise happened during first year of the Covid-19 pandemic when assaults jumped by 23 per cent compared with the year before.

Locally, SECAmb has also seen an increase in reported violence and aggression, with aggravating factors reported, such as alcohol and drugs and mental health.

The full list of sentences:

27 September – 37-year-old man from Slough given rehabilitation and community order for assaulting an emergency worker x2 and a public order offence. He also must pay £114 victim surcharge, £85 CPS costs and £100 compensation.

4 September – 48-year-old man from Canterbury who spat on an emergency care support worker and a police officer handed 12-month suspended sentence. He was also ordered to complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions and 120 days alcohol abstinence monitoring and must pay £150 victim surcharge.

14 August – 56-year-old man from St Leonards given community order for sexual assault on a member of crew. He also must pay £114 victim surcharge, £85 CPS costs and £200 compensation.

22 July – 59-year-old man from Eastbourne given community order for assaulting an emergency worker x2 and using threatening, abusive, or insulting words to cause harassment, alarm or distress. He also must pay £114 victim surcharge, £85 CPS costs and £150 compensation.

21 June – 21-year-old man from Brighton who assaulted a member of crew given rehabilitation order He also must pay £154 victim surcharge and £250 compensation.

13 June – 24-year-old man from Bexhill who assaulted a paramedic by punching them in their upper left arm given six months’ imprisonment.