Capital Exclusive: Attacks On Paramedics In Birmingham Have Gone Up

14 July 2014, 08:47 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Capital has exclusively found the number of reported attacks on paramedics in Birmingham has more than doubled in the last year.

New figures obtained from a Freedom of Information request show that 48 attacks were reported last year in the city.

That's compared to just 23 physical attacks on paramedics from 2012 to 2013.

Now West Midlands Ambulance Service is telling its staff to blacklist households where they've experienced violence.

It'll mean ambulance crews might wait for more staff or a police escort before attending an emergency there.

Despite nearly 50 reported assaults in Birmingham last year, only five suspects were arrested and not one received a jail term.

Head of Safety Steve Eliker hopes the new tougher policy will see more people prosecuted in the future.