I am TOTALLY against this law on the grounds of its discriminatery overtones
If the same thug spits at a traffic warden on the monday and a firefighter on the Tuesday, the latter offence would in all practical ways be taken more seriously, especially in terms of sentencing
How about if the traffic warden is physically injured? A black eye perhaps. That event may also attract a lesser sentence than the spitting on a firefighter assault . Is it right that 2 workers be treated differently?
That traffic warden may be a on call firefighter with a pager in his/her pocket. Two different sentences depending on what hat the individual is wearing. Crazy!
In my fire service career I have ve been spat at, had a chair thrown at me and even had a drunk vagrant point a gun as I refused an offer of a swig from his bottle which offended him!!!
I was and remain confident that the law of the land provides sufficient protection for 999 workers without any special case mentality being introduced.
There are scores of examples of witnesses to accidents being attacked when they try to help, and other workers assaulted regularly from social workers to bar staff, hotel staff to roadside breakdown people - then what about court bailiffs, bouncers, teachers, college staff , public transport staff - all of who are high risk occupationd in relation to assaults
Don't their lives matter? I hate this change in the law with a vengeance (just in case you havent worked it out
)
)
