AMBULANCE chiefs say staff are being forced to protect themselves against violent or aggressive patients on a regular basis.

The Welsh Ambulance Service launched an initiative last year to try to protect staff, but say incidents are still happening.

The comments come as a man who assaulted a paramedic while being taken to hospital by ambulance starts an 18-month community rehabilitation order and 100-hour community penalty order.

Kevin Wayne Brown, from Golden Grove, Newbridge, admitted assault and damaging an ambulance stretcher on December 20 last year.

But the Welsh Ambulance Service said it was 'appalling' that staff had to learn to protect themselves in their job to help the public.

Chris Sims, regional staff officer of the South East region, said: "The safety and well-being of frontline ambulance staff is of paramount importance to the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust and we will not tolerate any incidents of violence and aggression against staff.

"Unfortunately, incidents of verbal and physical abuse against staff is a continuing problem and as part of the Trust's commitment to zero tolerance it has invested in extra training in how to deal with potentially violent and aggressive situations.

"It is appalling that staff have to learn to protect themselves when it is their job to help and protect the public."

Caerphilly magistrates also ordered Brown to pay £200 compensation to his victim, paramedic Robert Lambeth, and to pay £34 prosecution costs. The court heard on December 20 last year, when an ambulance was called to Brown, who was unconscious, in Pontllanfraith.

During the journey to hospital, Brown became aggressive. Although a friend who was accompanying him tried to restrain Brown, he did not calm down.

In a statement read out at an earlier court hearing, paramedic Mr Lambeth said both men fell on top of him and he sustained swelling and a graze to his left knee.

A stretcher worth £3,000 belonging to the Welsh Ambulance Service was also damaged in the incident. Brown had told the court hearing that he was 'thoroughly ashamed of myself'.