The violent men who shattered lives of emergency workers in Wales

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Assaults on emergency workers in Wales have surged, with over 3,000 incidents reported between July 2023 and June 2024, marking a 9% rise from the previous year and highlighting a troubling trend that shows no sign of abating.
The majority of these attacks targeted police officers—who made up 71% of victims—while healthcare workers accounted for 18% and fire and rescue staff 2%.
In Merthyr Tydfil, the rate of assaults reached 1.43 per 1,000 residents in the first half of 2024, the highest in the country, and Saturdays saw the most incidents, with alcohol implicated in nearly a quarter of cases.
Emergency workers in Wales have faced a spectrum of violence, from being kicked, slapped, spat at, bitten, and head-butted, to verbal abuse and even premeditated attacks involving grievous bodily harm, with nine incidents involving weapons.
Courts across Wales regularly encounter offenders, often under the influence of drugs or alcohol, who resort to extreme violence in attempts to evade justice.
Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan of South Wales Police has stated, “Assault is a traumatic crime that can inflict significant distress on anyone, and emergency personnel are no exception.
Behind every uniform is a human being, and they deserve respect,” while Jason Killens, Chief Executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, warned, “Ambulance crews are there to help people, but they can’t fight for someone’s life if they’re fighting for their own.”
PC Nathan Attwell endured a “vicious, prolonged and persistent” assault by Richard Nodwell in Cwmbran, suffering a fractured eye socket and nose, nerve damage, and anxiety, leading to Nodwell’s sentence of six years and four months in prison.
“Assaults on emergency workers appears to be happening more often these days.
I have previously had the odd kick and punch which I think as a society we have just accepted that,” Attwell reflected, adding, “You go to work to do a job, just the same as them and why should we have to be put through being kicked, punched, and spat at while we’re there trying to solve issues and help them and help the community.” In another harrowing case, Kevin Jones bit off part of PC James Marsden’s ear during an arrest in Anglesey, leaving Marsden with permanent injury and emotional trauma, prompting Detective Constable Leslie Ellis to declare, “Being assaulted is not and never will be part of the job.
No assault on any emergency service worker is ever acceptable and offenders will be dealt with robustly.”
Shea Holleywell, 27, deliberately tried to infect a police officer with Hepatitis C by forcing his bleeding hand into the officer’s mouth, resulting in months of anxiety and repeated medical tests for the victim, and earning Holleywell a five-year prison sentence.
Jonathan Price, 43, after taking crack cocaine, strangled and spat at a police officer in Merthyr Tydfil, leaving the officer haunted by the incident and resulting in a nine-month prison term.
Christopher Price, with 100 previous offences, including 13 assaults on emergency workers, kicked and threatened officers at a hospital in Carmarthen, leading to a 12-month sentence, while Robert Wilkins fractured an officer’s eye socket and nose in Cardiff, with the victim stating he “genuinely felt he was going to die,” and Wilkins receiving two years and six months in prison.
PC Jack Droogan was headbutted by Lee Griffiths, who had been holding a knife to his own throat, leaving the officer with a scar and increased apprehension at work; Griffiths received a suspended 10-month sentence and mandatory rehabilitation.
Marcus Carpenter struck PC Mia Gray in the face in Ebbw Vale to avoid a breathalyser test, resulting in a community order and treatment requirements, and Benjamin Plimmer threatened to break an officer’s neck in Tredegar, with both men ending up on the ground and Plimmer refusing to release his grip, ultimately being sentenced to 12 months in prison.
The rise in violence has prompted repeated pleas from emergency services for the public to treat them with respect, as the psychological and physical toll on workers continues to mount, with research indicating that such assaults can have lasting effects, including PTSD and anxiety, not only for the victims but for their families and colleagues as well.
The trend of increasing violence against emergency workers in Wales is mirrored across the UK, with the NHS and police federations reporting year-on-year rises in attacks, and experts warning that the normalization of such behaviour risks undermining the safety and morale of those who serve on the front lines.