NHS GRAPHIC READS: Your choice of treatment... STOP ABUSE OF NHS STAFF- Verbal or physical abuse of our staff could result in prosecution
A Derby man has been handed an 18-month custodial sentence after he admitted sexually assaulting a member of EMAS staff and physically assaulting another.
Darshit Tanna appeared before Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday 28 February where he pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault against a female member of staff and one charge of common assault against a male member of staff. Today he was sentenced at Derby Crown Court and told to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.
The incident took place in June 2016 when an ambulance crew were responding to Tanna as a patient. Whilst in the back of the ambulance Tanna sexually assaulted a female member of staff and assaulted a male colleague who was trying to protect her. The crew called for immediate support from Derbyshire police and Tanna was arrested at the scene.
During the sentencing Judge Bennett summarised and said he found it ‘difficult to comprehend’ that someone could assault an ambulance crew who were sent to help them.
Mark Ward, Assistant Local Security Management Specialist at East Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “Our staff work hard every day to deliver the best possible care to the public we serve. Actions like this make their job even harder and we will always take action where we can.
“We have a zero tolerance approach to any level of abuse or assault against our staff. The Local Security Management Specialist team worked with the staff to support them through the process of giving evidence and with police and the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure the defendant received the appropriate punishment.”