Teenager Dealt With in Court Following Incident Involving Emergency Services in Saltburn
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A 16-year-old boy from the Skelton area has been given a four month referral order and must pay £50 compensation to a Cleveland Police Officer after he appeared at Teesside Magistrates Court today, Wednesday 26th August
He was charged with possessing a blade or sharply pointed article in a public place, public order and assault on an emergency worker.
The charges followed an incident on Monday 8th June around 7:30pm near to Saltburn viaduct when colleagues from Cleveland Fire Brigade and the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) were called to treat a man who had fallen and broken his leg. It was reported to police that a group of youths had become aggressive and abusive towards the emergency services on scene and were swearing at them in front of passing families with young children.
The group of male youths had reportedly thrown alcohol at the emergency services staff as they tried to treat the patient.
When police were called to the scene, a 16-year-old boy was warned about his persistent abuse and swearing but he continued. As officers tried to detain him, he then assaulted an officer by kicking him three times in the leg.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had a small lock knife in his possession when he was searched and this was seized by police.
Chief Superintendent Thom Mcloughlin, from Cleveland Police, said: “I am pleased that the courts have dealt with this 16-year-old boy appropriately and I want this to stand as a warning to anyone else who thinks it is OK to behave in this manner. Intimidating and abusing emergency services whilst dealing with a patient who is clearly in pain is cowardly and mindless.
“No one goes to work to be abused and assaulted. Why should emergency services be any different?
“We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and anyone who does act in this way, will find themselves in a court of law, answering for their crimes.”
Chief Fire Officer Ian Hayton, from Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: “Bringing this case to court sends out a clear message that this criminal and irresponsible behaviour will not be tolerated. It is completely unacceptable for firefighters and our colleagues in other emergency services to be subject to any violence, we are here to protect and help our local communities. These thoughtless actions of a minority indicates an individual’s total lack of respect for anything or anyone, puts firefighters at risk of injury and could prevent us from attending life-saving incidents where we need to rescue people.
“We join our colleagues in other emergency services in condemning these actions. Our fire engines are fitted with CCTV and staff have ‘body cams’, as we have done here we provide footage to support the police prosecutions.”
Deputy chief executive Paul Liversidge from NEAS said: “Intimidating our crews in this incident was a senseless act and I hope this today’s result sends a clear message that we will not tolerate abuse towards our staff. Anything that obstructs emergency services from doing their jobs is not only a criminal offence, but it can also have serious and sometimes devastating consequences on our patients and their loved ones.
“We will continue to do everything within our power to support our staff who are abused or assaulted while doing their job. Our staff are here to help and save lives. They and their loved ones should not have to fear coming in to work.”
