Criminal Justice Act 2006

Amendment of section 19 of Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.

185.— Section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 is amended—

(a) by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1):

“(1) Any person who assaults or threatens to assault—

(a) a person providing medical services at or in a hospital, or

(b) a person assisting such a person, or

(c) a peace officer acting in the execution of a peace officer’s duty, knowing that he or she is, or being reckless as to whether he or she is, a peace officer so acting, or

(d) any other person acting in aid of a peace officer, or

(e) any other person with intent to resist or prevent the lawful apprehension or detention of himself or herself or any other person for any offence,

shall be guilty of an offence.”,

(b) in subsection (2), by the substitution of “€5,000” for “£1,000” and by the substitution of “7 years” for “5 years”,

(c) by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3):

“(3) Any person who resists or wilfully obstructs or impedes—

(a) a person providing medical services at or in a hospital, knowing that he or she is, or being reckless as to whether he or she is, a person providing medical services, or

(b) a person assisting such a person, or

(c) a peace officer acting in the execution of a peace officer’s duty, knowing that he or she is or being reckless as to whether he or she is, a peace officer so acting, or

(d) a person assisting a peace officer in the execution of his or her duty,

shall be guilty of an offence.”,

(d) in subsection (4), by the substitution of “€2,500” for “£500”, and

(e) in subsection (6)—

(i) by the insertion of the following definitions:

“ “ hospital” includes the lands, buildings and premises connected with and used wholly or mainly for the purposes of a hospital;

“medical services” means services provided by—

(a) doctors, dentists, psychiatrists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, health and social care professionals (within the meaning of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 ) or other persons in the provision of treatment and care for persons at or in a hospital, or

(b) persons acting under direction of those persons;”,

and

(ii) in the definition of “peace officer”, by the insertion of “, a member of the fire brigade, ambulance personnel” after “a prison officer”.