THE message was loud and clear last week — it’s not okay to assault paramedics.
Swan Hill paramedics have stood by their counterparts in a show of unity after two women who were found guilty of assaulting a paramedic avoided jail, despite mandatory sentencing for assaults on emergency service workers.
Public outcry immediately followed the County Court’s decision last Tuesday to quash an original jail sentence, with anti-violence messages painted on the side of ambulances saying ‘It’s not OK to assault paramedics’.
Amanda Warren, 33, and Caris Underwood, 20, had previously been jailed by a magistrate for eight months and four months over the attack on paramedic Paul Judd.
The 63-year-old veteran paramedic suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the 2016 incident in Reservoir, which left him with four fractures in his foot, prompting a severe infection. Ambulance Victoria Swan Hill Branch team manager Geoff Astall said the branch was disappointed with the decision.
“We do get verbal abuse and there has been the odd assault in the past 12 to 18 months,” he said.
“The government is sending a strong message, and so is the community, not just the ambos, but all emergency services.”
Ambulance Victoria chief executive Tony Walker said it was an opportunity to send a strong message to the community about violence against paramedics.
“This is an extremely difficult time for our colleagues Paul Judd and Chenaye Bentley and our thoughts are with them today and always,” Mr Walker said.
“We have worked hard in the past two years to make significant changes at Ambulance Victoria to ensure that the safety of our hard working paramedics is our number one priority.
“Aggression and abuse towards paramedics is completely unacceptable and in this case, Paul and Chenaye, two of our highly-trained, dedicated people were injured while simply trying to do their jobs, helping someone in need.”
Premier Daniel Andrews lashed out at the decision, saying a poor upbringing was no excuse for the women’s behaviour.
“I don’t buy this line because you had an allegedly difficult childhood you are able to behave this way,” he said.
“I don’t buy that, never have, never will.”
While the law, introduced by the previous Napthine Coalition government, requires mandatory prison time, there are special circumstances available to the courts, which were used in that case.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said he would take his own steps to keep people who attack paramedics behind bars.
“I will introduce a private member’s bill to make sure that those who protect us will be protected by the Parliament,” he said.
“We will tighten up the mandatory sentencing provisions.”
Mr Andrews said access to the special circumstances provisions would be tightened under the proposals being considered.
