This case and story is a bit bitter-sweet for our team here at Emergency Services News & Emergency Services Humour for two reasons:
On the one hand, we have an individual (the defendant) who threatened two police officers with an imitation firearm. Just stop and consider how you would feel if someone pointed a gun at you…
There is no way, at the time of the incident, that you would probably have any idea that the gun being pointed at you, was an imitation one.
The Officers involved must have seen their lives flash before their eyes; not knowing as to whether or not they were going to be shot by Alcock.
On the other hand (the ‘sweet’ part of the ‘bitter-sweet’) this case clearly does show that there are those in Government who DO CARE about the punishment that is handed out to those who threaten and assault members of the emergency services family – a family that I personally was once a very proud member of.
A statement released on the Gov.UK website said:
‘A man who pointed a gun at police officers has today been sent to prison after the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, referred his sentence to the Court of Appeal for being too low.
‘Sebastian Alcock, 38, threatened 2 police officers with an imitation firearm.
‘The police officers had received reports of a man behaving suspiciously, and asked Alcock to get out of the car for a drug search.
‘At this point he became aggressive, struggling violently against the officers, and produced a gun, which at the time was assumed to be real.
‘The police officers feared for their lives and escaped, and firearm officers arrested Alcock shortly after.
‘Alcock was originally sentenced at St Albans Crown Court in August, where he was given 15 months imprisonment suspended for 2 years.
‘Today, after the Solicitor General’s referral, the Court of Appeal increased his sentence to 3 years immediate imprisonment.
Commenting on the sentence increase, the Solicitor General said:
“This was a serious violent incident that was made even worse by Alcock’s threats using an imitation firearm towards police officers working in the line of duty. The Court of Appeal has recognised this today.”
This case does go to show that there really are leaders out there, not just leaders within the immediate emergency services family, who have the backs of the men and women who, on a daily basis, risk their own lives in order to try and keep people safe.
It makes a genuinely nice change, to be able to share a story where a convicted criminal THOUGHT that they had escaped prison after threatening members of the emergency services, only to be sent to prison for LONGER than the period that was given in the suspended sentence.
Maybe, just maybe, the attitude towards our brave emergency services is slowly, but surely, starting to change….
If you have a blog that you would like us to share with our readers and followers, then please feel free to contact our team of former emergency services personnel by using any of the details below.
If you have an emergency services related story, video (that you have filmed) or opinion (whether its light-hearted or serious) that you want us to share with our readers, then you can reach our team using any of the details below.
We treat all correspondence with anonymity!
Email: emergency_services_humour@outlook.com | Follow & find us on Twitter @ES_Humour | Follow & find us on Facebook @EmergencyServicesHumour
Before you go...
In a world where mainstream media narratives often eclipse the harsh realities faced by our valiant men and women in the emergency services, we at Emergency Services News have made it our mission to bring these overlooked stories into the spotlight.
Our team is exclusively composed of dedicated volunteers, all veterans of the emergency services. They commit their time and expertise to this cause, not for financial gain, but out of a shared passion to honour their colleagues and dispel the misconceptions that mainstream media perpetuates.
Despite running at a loss, we persist. We believe in the importance of our mission - to elevate the dignity and courage of those who risk their lives for us every single day. But we need your help.
Your donation directly sustains ESN, enabling the continuous delivery of authentic, critical stories often overlooked by mainstream media. We deeply appreciate your support, which enables us to further our mission of delivering important, underreported stories. Thank you for standing with us and thank you for supporting our team of former emergency services & HM Forces personnel.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
Good, perhaps the Solicitor General should refer to the Court of Appeal some of the other knife and machete wielding scum as well?