Andrew Craig Baker last week was given concurrent 13-month jail sentences, with four months’ non-parole, after pleading guilty to assaulting police and hindering an ambulance officer by an act of violence.

The incidents happened after police and paramedics were called to Baker’s house after he arrived home drunk and violent in the early hours of June 17, 2016.

In sentencing Baker, magistrate Peter Dare – who retired last Friday – said the man abused paramedics when they arrived to treat another person at the scene for an injured thumb.

“He attempted to assault one of the ambulance officers by continually shaping up and punching with closed fists in close proximity where they believed a physical assault upon them was imminent,” Mr Dare said.

“Due to the offender’s state of intoxication the ambulance officers were able to dodge his punches,” Mr Dare said.

“Fortunately, there was no physical contact which, in my opinion, was owed more to good luck than good management.

“The offender was restrained by neighbours until police arrived.”

Mr Dare said when police arrived he turned his abuse towards them and defied any request to cease.

“He was placed under arrest,” Mr Dare said.

“During an ensuing struggle the offender lifted his left elbow and struck (the police senior constable) to his nose region, resulting in immediate pain.”

Mr Dare said barely a month went by without someone coming before his court charged with violence against police.

“There is no doubt in my mind that decent law-abiding citizens, the silent majority of people in various country communities, must be sick and tired of such conduct and look to the courts to provide support for the police in what has been described as their often thankless task,” Mr Dare said.

Mr Dare said a disturbing aspect of this case was the obstruction of paramedics.

He said they should not be placed in a position of having to defend themselves from those who are drunk or drug-affected.

Mr Dare said paramedics were classed as “vulnerable persons” under the law.

The magistrate said a disturbing statistic was revealed in a 2013 Sydney Morning Herald article that revealed 3000 assaults on police each year, with seven out of 10 of them involving alcohol.

“Research suggests dealing with such people is the most dangerous part of front-line policing. I am sure the situation has not improved over the years,” Mr Dare said.

Mr Dare said it should come as no surprise that there should be a hardening of attitude by the courts in dealing with those convicted of offences of violence towards police “who are doing no more than their duty”.

“The message is clear from courts of appellate authority that the correct starting point for assaulting police in the execution of their duty is a custodial sentence.”

Mr Dare said he was satisfied, having considered all possible alternatives, that no penalty other than imprisonment was appropriate for both offences.