DPP to appeal paramedic basher James Haberfield’s sentence

Victoria’s top prosecutor will appeal the sentence of paramedic basher, James Haberfield.
The Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd QC confirmed an appeal has been lodged today.

It follows an extraordinary intervention by Premier Daniel Andrews who called on the DPP to urgently consider an appeal.

Haberfield dodged jail last month after pleading guilty to beating two paramedics after consuming a cocktail of drugs at a music festival.

He was charged after launching a frenzied attack on a female paramedic, Monica, placing her in a headlock and punching her several times in the face.

Despite a mandatory six-month jail sentence for assaulting an emergency worker, Magistrate Simon Zebrowski spared the 22-year-old jail, saying prison would have a “catastrophic” impact on his future.

Injured paramedic Monica was “extremely pleased” the matter was being reviewed.

“Monica and her family are extremely pleased to know this is being reviewed,” he said.

Mr Hill said it was important to continue to send the message that assaults on emergency workers were never OK.

Haberfield pleaded guilty to one charge of recklessly causing injury to an emergency worker, and one charge of assaulting an emergency worker.

The DPP has lodged an appeal on the grounds that it was not open for the magistrate to impose any sentence other than jail for recklessly causing injury of an emergency worker.

“In light of the finding made by the magistrate that the impaired mental functioning was caused solely by self-induced intoxication, it was not open to the magistrate to impose any sentence other than a custodial sentence,” a statement read.

In appealing the sentence for the latter charge, Ms Judd said it was also not open to the magistrate to impose a mandatory monitoring and treatment order.