A woman who assaulted staff at Tunbridge Wells Hospital has been jailed.
Kent Police was called to the hospital during the early hours of Wednesday 22 June 2022, to reports a patient had verbally abused a member of staff and also tried to assault him.
Colleagues intervened and also had kicks and punches aimed at them.
Officers attended and arrested Rebecca Colman at the scene.
Colman, 28, of Station Road, Edenbridge was later charged with two counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker and with causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises.
Swift justice
She appeared before Medway Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 23 June and pleaded guilty.
Colman was sentenced to 240 days’ imprisonment, which included the activation of a suspended sentence for previous offences against emergency workers.
District Commander for Tunbridge Wells, Chief Inspector Omid Changizi, said: ‘Every day police officers and hospital staff deal with unpredictable, challenging and sometimes volatile situations.
‘However, like any other job, they should be able to perform their roles without being the subject of abuse and physical violence.
‘Any assaults on emergency workers are completely unacceptable and we will not hesitate to prosecute those who put their safety at risk in this way.’
The Assaults on Emergency Workers Act
The Assaults on Emergency Workers Act came into force in November 2018 and created a new offence of assault against emergency workers – including police, paramedics, nurses and other blue light workers.
It also provides tougher sentencing powers for judges.