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Staff Reporter, 20 Mar
A call has been made for tougher sentences for those who attack
emergency workers as the number of assaults rise.
With thousands of assaults on emergency workers recorded every year in
Northern Ireland and the figures increasing, former health service
nurse Bernadette Vassallo has started an online campaign for tougher
sentences.
More than a thousand people have signed a petition calling for the
extension of Harper’s Law to Northern Ireland, and to also increase
sentences for those convicted of assaults on emergency services staff,
as well as a change to legislation in terms of what is classed as a
deadly weapon.
The law, named after Constable Andrew Harper who was killed in the line
of duty in 2019 in England, introduced mandatory life sentences for
anyone convicted of killing an emergency worker.
Harper’s Law comes into force today, named in memory of PC Andrew
Harper who lost his life while fighting crime.#HarpersLaw will
introduce tougher sentences for those who kill emergency workers in
the line of duty, including police officers, prison officers and
paramedics. pic.twitter.com/Bf8mRR2JRv
— Ministry of Justice (@MoJGovUK) June 28, 2022
It went on the statute book for England and Wales last June, and means
anyone convicted of the killing of a police officer, firefighter,
nurse, doctor, prison officer or paramedic would be jailed for life
with a mandatory minimum term of 40 years.
It has been backed by the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, a
representative body for rank and file officers, who have said real
deterrents are needed to curb the rising numbers of assaults on
emergency workers.
According to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act,
police are the most often assaulted emergency service, with 1,541
incidents recorded in 2021 which rose to 3,159 in 2022.
Last month, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said the number of
assaults resulting in injury to officers had hit a five-year high, from
516 recorded between April 2018 and March 2019, to 923 from April 2022
to February 2023.
The next most-targeted group are Ambulance Service workers, with 508
targeted in 2021, which went up to 648 in 2022.
Meanwhile, attacks on 66 Prison Service workers and four Fire Service
personnel were recorded in 2022.
Assaults can range from verbal abuse and threats to being spat at,
head-butted, kicked, punched, bitten and broken limbs.
Last week police officers in Derry were attacked by youths with masonry
during a search operation.
There were also thousands of attacks on health service staff between
January 1 2021 to October 31 2022.
Most happened in Belfast, the largest health trust, where 6,308 were
recorded, followed by 2,466 in the Western Trust, 1,094 in the South
Eastern Trist and 359 in the Northern Trust.
Police Federation Northern Ireland secretary Damian Walsh said the
effect of the assaults on can be significant.
“We need real deterrents to curb this growing and worrying trend of
assaults on our officers,” he told the PA news agency.
“We have officers who are kicked, punched, bitten and left with broken
bones and lacerations.
“The effect on an officer can be significant. Many have to take time
off work to recover from their injuries. That, in turn, puts added
pressure on colleagues and are left to take up the slack.”
Mr Walsh said they feel tougher sentences would deter the assaults.
“We look to the courts to take action. In our terms, that must mean
tougher sentencing guidelines for assailants. A fine or a suspended
sentence for assaulting a police officer on a street is simply not good
enough,” he said.
“Would-be attackers have to know that if they strike an officer they
can expect to go to jail. As it stands, these people have no respect
for officers and aren’t deterred by the punishments that are meted out.
“There has got to be zero-tolerance. An attack on a police officer is
not part of the job, but rather it’s an assault on our justice and law
and order system.
“Things have got to change before this problem gets any worse.”
The petition calling for the extension of Harper’s Law to Northern
Ireland can be found at
change.org/p/bring-harper-s-law-to-northern-ireland-increase-sentences-
assaults-on-emergency-services.