Ambulance workers in Sutton have been subjected to violent attacks including being grabbed and spat at, new figures have revealed.

A Freedom of Information request by Sutton Lib Dems, revealed that 30 assaults were recorded between August 2019 and August 2020.

The figures relate to London Ambulance Service staff based out of Sutton’s two ambulance stations.

The incidents include 11 by physical blow, 4 incidents by grabbing or touching, and 3 incidents by spitting.

There were also 9 incidents of directed verbal abuse, 1 incident of anti-social behaviour, and 3 incidents of threat of violence.

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Ministers plan to bring forward legislation to double the maximum sentence for those convicted of assaults on frontline staff.

It is the second change in two years after a 2018 law doubled the maximum sentence from six months to a year.

Council leader Ruth Dombey has urged ministers to bring the legalisation forward "as soon as possible."

Commenting, Liberal Democrat leader of the Council, Ruth Dombey said:

“Any abuse or assault of our emergency workers is simply abhorrent, even more so during the current pandemic when these very workers are on the frontline of beating back the coronavirus.

“These 30 assaults against Sutton’s ambulance staff are utterly unacceptable.

"Of course we mustn’t forget our police officers, prison officers, NHS workers, or firefighters.

"We need ministers to bring forward tougher sentences as soon as possible to deter such behaviour.”