Medic Attacked in UK

[Dustdevil]

http://www.ems1.com/ems-oddities/articles/821575-UK-girl-jailed-for-drunken-attack-on-paramedic/

May 19, 2010

UK girl jailed for drunken attack on paramedic

An Oxford student has been jailed for a drunken attack on a paramedic

By Chris Riches

The Express

OXFORD, England — A brilliant student has been jailed for a drunken attack on a paramedic who raced to her aid as she lay slumped on a pavement.

Oxford Brookes University's Melissa Massey, 20, tipped to graduate with a first-class honours degree this summer, wept when told she must spend the next eight weeks in prison.

Mortified Massey, who owed her life to medics after being hit by a drunk driver as an 11-year-old, admitted assault and apologised.

She had no recall of the incident, Manchester Magistrates Court heard.

She was sprawled against railings at 1am after a New Year's Eve party when paramedic rapid responder Ann Sumner, 43, knelt to help her.

Massey hit her and tore out clumps of hair.

District Judge Alan Berg said such assaults had an "incalculable" impact on the profession and described it as a tragedy that Massey had found herself in the dock.

He said: "The incidence of this type of offending in city centres in particular is far too great and the courts have got to step in.

"They're the only body who can try to bring this outrageous, barbaric behaviour, drunken barbarism, to an end. I'm not prepared to allow members of the medical profession to be used as punch bags by drunks."

As Miss Sumner carried out checks and covered Massey, of Denton, Greater Manchester, with a blanket, the student launched an attack that "seemed to go on for ages", the court heard.

An unknown man joined in, punching Miss Sumner in the neck and chest before walking away and saying "Respect - Happy New Year", said Gareth Hughes, prosecuting. The man was never traced.

Miss Sumner, who was treated by colleagues for shock, scratches and bruising, needed a month off work.

Massey, who has won an internship with a consultancy firm and was hoping to do a Masters degree in America, said: "I'm absolutely morti-fied. I feel terrible. I want to offer my deepest apologies to the woman and her family. I don't normally drink like that. Paramedics saved my life when I was younger and I have the utmost respect for what they do."

She spent almost a week on life support after being knocked down as a child.

Massey was described as a "motivated young woman", founder-president of her student union's Women In Business Society and spent a summer teaching in India.

Alastair Reid, defending, said she had downed cheap drinks that night and her actions will "haunt her for a long time".

Miss Sumner, a paramedic for 20 years, said yesterday she is still psychologically scarred by the attack.

She said: "She pulled out whole handfuls of my hair. You could see gaps on my head. I didn't sleep properly for days."

[scott33]

Well done the Judge for having the balls to finally put someone behind bars for what is a daily occurrence in the UK.

However...

Shame on those who immediately appealed against the sentence and got it reduced to a non-custodial "suspended" sentence.

JAIL FAIL

Edited May 21, 2010 by scott33

[Richard B the EMT]

Are the UK authorities going to wait until the Ambulance personnel quit their jobs in fear for their lives, and nobody is left to respond to the sick and injured?

[Kiwiology]

I have heard for years that UK Paramedics get attacked, spat at, abused and generally treated like crap. I think LAS has issued stab vests for its staff but anecdotially I do not think they are worn very much. When I was in the UK in 2006 there were posters in the underground of Paramedics showing off various injuries and the advertisment that LAS has a zero tolerance policy towards violence against staff.

The union here is humming and harring trying to push St John into getting stab vests for Paramedics however its on the back burner because of the cost, never mind that the Police have them. There is now a half day class on "personal safety" included in the induction course for new staff which is a positive change.

Dare I say the Ambulance Services obsession with "call connect" and the eight minute target has led to more and more solo responders rocking up to pub fights when they are still in progress and things of that nature? Never mind you get beat up but you got there within eight minutes!

[aussiephil]

Let me start by saying that I do not support attacks on any Emergency Service workers.

In this case, & the only information we have here is what is written in a newspaper. Something we all know is innacurate.

Lets look at this in reality.

If she lived with the original sentence, after 8 weeks it would be over & done with & she resumes her life. A life with a criminal record. A life that means she may not be able to achieve all that she has potential for. This is a young woman with no history of crime, let alone violent crime, has the potential to contribute to society for life & has admitted she made a poor judgement & has shown remorse.

The imposition of a 2 year suspended sentence with 180 hours of community service is, for a student (fulltime) an imposition. Considering over 2 years, coupled with her studies, she has to find an average of just under 2 hours per week to volunteer. She also has the very real possibility that in that period, if she does offend on anything again, the original sentence must be served, as well as any further sentence imposed. But after the 2

This young woman has been offered a lifeline. It is now up to her to show that it was deserved.

[Lone Star]

Here in the States, as soon as you're arrested, you've got a 'criminal record' for life. With the court imposing punishment, it's the same as a conviction.

She was wrong, she admitted to being wrong and ultimately was handed a punishment for her actions. I disagree with the courts for reducing the sentence in any fashion.

All that does is send the message that if you're a 'basically good kid' and you break the law, you shouldn't have to spend any time in jail.

[Kiwiology]

I agree with the undieless Australian .... again

[aussiephil]

Here in the States, as soon as you're arrested, you've got a 'criminal record' for life. With the court imposing punishment, it's the same as a conviction.

She was wrong, she admitted to being wrong and ultimately was handed a punishment for her actions. I disagree with the courts for reducing the sentence in any fashion.

All that does is send the message that if you're a 'basically good kid' and you break the law, you shouldn't have to spend any time in jail.

Lone, I started my initial post with a specific line.

You know me well enough to know I loathe & despise all the PC crap that goes on. I do however think that, where the system allows for an alternative, & this is an appropriate case, it should be used.

This young woman, at 20, would go into a womans prison for 8 weeks. Would she be rehabilitated during that 8 weeks, or would she, like many before her suffer many indignaties & come out resentful & bitter. At least by performing community service, she is still being punished, but has the opportunity, if she remains law abiding, to wipe the slate clean. 1 chance, her choice.

There are 2 things in the original report that stick out. First is the notion the attack went on for ages. How long is ages. How many people complain how long it takes for an ambulance to arrive saying they took ages, but the recorded times show it was, in real terms, quite quick? Does this fall into the same category?

The other thing is the other unknown male assailant & the impact of the puches he inflicted. She was charged, he wasnt found. is leads to the question that she was sentenced for his contribution to the crime as well.

As I said, I cannot condone this action, & they should be punished to the full extent of the law, but in some cases I think that could be more detrimental. Remember in many cases the justice system & the way a criminal record is viewed in countries other than the US is completely different. For example, here, with that on your record you would exclude yourself from most jobs. First & only offence or not.

There is no justification for her actions, but we, as part of the whole community, should we not consider what effect our actions can have? We are a part of a commassionate profession are we not?

[Richard B the EMT]

Could someone who actually lives, or has lived, in England/Ireland/Scotland/Wales respond to this:

If someone in the US gets arrested, even a misdemeanor, there is record of it. Even the TV and movies say in the crime dramas, "Our suspect doesn't even have a parking ticket." I know, from reading and entertainment dramas, after sentence is served or fines paid, that one can petition the courts to expunge the record of the misdeed. Can such be done in England/Ireland/Scotland/Wales?

[Dustdevil]

I hate to say it, but as many negative stories about UK EMS we see coming out -- refusing to respond from lunch, clinical screw-ups, half hour responses, etc... -- I can't say that I am terribly surprised that the public has some animosity towards them. Perhaps it should be taken as a sign that they are FAILING at public service and public relations.