Revolving Doors Fact-Finding Session: Assaults against emergency workers

This is a session for those with experience of working with people who have been convicted of assaulting an emergency worker and are concerned about how it is being used in practice, and the impact this may be having on people experiencing multiple disadvantage, mental ill health, or trauma.

Why this session matters:

Since the creation of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 and subsequent sentence increases under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, concerns have grown across the sector about how the offence is applied. In particular, we are hearing increasing anecdotal evidence that:

• People in mental health crisis or displaying trauma‑related behaviours may be disproportionately charged.
• The offence can draw vulnerable individuals further into the criminal justice system, even when behaviour may be better addressed through health‑led responses.
• Key data needed to understand who is being charged, and in what circumstances, is not currently collected or disaggregated.
• CPS decisions rarely discontinue these cases, even when other charges from the same incident are dropped.
• The government’s recent “court blitz” on these cases adds urgency to understanding the real‑world picture.

“Once you have that label – ‘assault of an emergency worker’ – it feels like it follows you forever. It shapes how you’re treated. It affects your opportunities. And it’s incredibly hard to move past.”
— Laura, RD member

Purpose of the session:

Revolving Doors is convening this session to bring together organisations working directly with people who have convictions, including court support teams, women’s services and frontline practitioners. Together, we aim to:

• Share experiences of how this offence is being applied.
• Identify common patterns or concerns.
• Build a clearer picture of the contexts in which incidents occur.
• Gather insights that can inform future engagement with policymakers, including the CPS and government.

Your expertise and frontline insight are essential to shaping an evidence base that does not currently exist.

Event details:

Date: Tuesday 28 April
Time: 12:00–13:00
Format: Online (joining link to follow upon RSVP)