SHIPLEY MP Philip Davies has called for tougher sentencing powers after a man who assaulted and hurled racist abuse at police officers and medical staff was jailed for 14 months.

Hamza Khan, of Great Horton Road, admitted four counts of assaulting emergency workers, resisting an officer, racially aggravated disorderly behaviour over a 16 day period earlier this summer.

The 25-year-old was told at Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday he had caused “pain and upset to people just trying to do their job”.

On July 3 this year, police were called to Heaton Road, Manningham, at 2.50am to reports of a man staggering in the middle of the street, prosecutor Samreen Akhtar told the court.

She said when officers arrived, Khan was aggressive and racially abusive towards one officer, calling him a “white b*****d”.

“Officers requested further assistance, and when he had been arrested, he continued to be aggressive and racist,” Miss Akhtar said.

“He called officers ‘white motherf****r’ and ‘white son of a bitch’, and in the back of the police van he kicked an officer in the torso, causing him to fall out of the van backwards and land awkwardly.”

On July 19, paramedics were called to Ley Top Lane in Allerton where they found Khan on the floor with what appeared to be a serious head injury.

Miss Akhtar continued: “While he was being treated, Khan told the paramedic he would ‘shag his mum’.

“Despite this, the paramedic continued to treat him, before Khan spat at him. The paramedic still continued to treat him, and Khan was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary. Throughout the journey he continued to be abusive.

“At the BRI, he told a poorly dementia patient to ‘f**k off’, and also got up off his stretcher to square up to a nurse.

“Police were called, and he called the officer a ‘white whore’ and ‘white bitch’. He also grabbed her leg and dug his nails in.

“In interview, Khan said he was drunk and could not remember the incidents, but when shown body-cam footage accepted he had used racist language.”

Victim impact statements from the officers and medical workers were read in court.

The nurse said: “No one has the authority to act like this in a hospital, I do not deserve this.

“I do not come to work to be put in fear of my safety or for my patients to be frightened.”

One assaulted officer, PC Sarah Barberini, added: “No one has the right to assault me.

“I’m a mother and would hate to have to explain to my children why people think it’s acceptable to do this to an emergency worker.”

Khan has 15 previous convictions, including a number of racially aggravated offences.

In mitigation, Jayne Beckett said Khan has a long-running issue with alcohol and cocaine.

She said: “He is meek and mild-mannered when sober, but after drinking turns into a different beast.

“He knows he is out of control when drinking and needs to stop drinking and taking drugs.”

Sentencing Khan, Judge Jonathan Gibson said: “Assaults on emergency workers cannot be tolerated.

“They are entitled to go to work without the fear they will be assaulted or racially abused.

“You caused pain and upset to those just trying to do their jobs and upset to people in the emergency room.”

The diminutive Khan, dressed in a black tracksuit top and blue jeans, stood emotionless when he was sentenced.

Philip Davies has called for the maximum sentence for assaults on emergency workers to be doubled from 12 months to two years.

He said: “I don’t necessarily blame the judges because they’ve got to work in the sentencing guidelines they’re given.

“The sentencing guidelines are wholly inadequate. I think most people looking at that would find that somebody who does this persistently is despicable.

“It’s completely unacceptable. I spend a lot of time out with the police. It’s not just police officers though, it’s people who drive ambulances, paramedics, etc. You see that danger that they put themselves in on a daily basis.

“I just feel the support they get from the law should reflect a lot better the things they do and the risks they take. It’s just unacceptable.”