Paramedics under attack: Patient arrested after lashing out at Cannock ambulance worker
An ambulance worker was left bruised and scratched after being assaulted by a patient in Cannock while abusive hoax calls were made from the Black Country.
The offender was restrained and arrested following the incident on Friday, which was one of ten 'sickening' attacks on West Midlands Ambulance Service workers that night and the following evening.
On Saturday children from Bilston made several fake and abusive 999 calls.
There were also several incidents in Birmingham over the weekend.
Paramedic Mike Duggan, who runs the city centre treatment unit at the heart of the city's night-life on Broad Street, was subject to three verbal assaults on Friday.
He said: "One man who was intoxicated became abusive to me and a crew and his language made it perfectly clear that he didn't want our help.
"Another man we'd been sent to help became verbally abusive and, as well as telling us to 'go away' in less polite terms, he also told me that he wished me dead.
"Another case later on in the evening saw us respond to a woman who had been punched.
"Whilst we were trying to treat her injuries, she became abusive and so did her partner; as well as being uncooperative, she used inappropriate and offensive language towards us."
Elsewhere in Birmingham a female student paramedic was punched in the arm by a drunk woman before later threatening to kill ambulance staff as her and her partner were restrained by police.
Mr Duggan called for a mandatory sentence for people who attack a member of the emergency services. He said: "It is disgusting that any ambulance staff, who come to work purely to help people, are subjected to this level of abuse and violence.
"Despite this, we turn up for duty each shift and continue to provide a first class service to people in their hour of need.
"Sadly, these incidents occur regularly and despite our best efforts and those of the police, it appears that they are increasing.
"I would like to see a mandatory sentence introduced for anyone who assaults any member of the emergency services.
"We hope that the public will show their disgust and make sure their friends, family and colleagues don't act in such a despicable way."
Steve Elliker head of security and safety at WMAS added: "This weekend alone I've received ten reports from staff of them being abused whilst at work; five were actual physical assaults and another five verbal abuse. It is sickening to hear that our staff endure abuse by the very people they are trying to help."!
