Most people expect to be able to do their job without getting assaulted – but that isn't always the case if you're an emergency service worker.

In just April alone 11 criminals have been guilty of doing just that, leading in some cases to a spell in prison.

Among them was Adam David Scott, whose criminal record was described as so "appalling" that jail was the only option.

The 28-year-old, of no fixed address, was guilty of assaulting emergency worker Steven Palmer in Truro between April 7 and 8 this year.

The court heard that: "The offence is so serious because [of his] previous record, which is appalling in respect of assaults emergency workers."

Scott was already on a suspended sentence for similar offences and magistrates declared that "no other sentence is appropriate."

He was sent to prison for 12 weeks for this offence, although he will have to serve a total of 32 weeks after the latest incident activated two ten-week suspended prison sentences.

The original offences saw him assault two prison officers in Exeter on March 25 last year, for which he was sentenced on July 21 last year.

In this most recent hearing Scott was also ordered to pay £150 compensation to Mr Palmer and a £128 surcharge to fund victim services.

Another facing Cornwall's magistrates courts in the past month has been 21-year-old Jay Richard Cunningham, of Chapel Close in Crantock, Newquay.

He was guilty of assaulting PC Wayne Snowden by beating him on February 28 this year while in Truro.

In doing so he also breached a criminal behaviour order issued on September 19, 2019 by "causing nuisance, annoyance and alarm to any person or persons which may cause them to fear for their or another persons safety."

The order prevented Cunningham from being intoxicated through alcohol or other drugs while in Truro city centre and also required him to surrender any open or unopened container of alcohol, or one suspected to contain alcohol, to a police constable, police community support officer or csas-empowered officer when required to do so within that location.

Cunningham was given an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for the crime of assault. He must also pay £200 compensation to PC Snowden. No separate sentence was given for the order breach.

Roger Stephen Chegwidden, who gave his address as the Travelodge at Carwin Rise, Loggans, Hayle was guilty of beating PC William Bray and Sergeant Daniel Lees in Hayle on April 16.

He also pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in Fore Street, Hayle, and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour cause to cause fear of unlawful violence, also in Hayle, on the same date.

The 30-year-old was remanded on unconditional bail until May 20 for a Drug Rehabilitation Requirement assessment to be carried out ahead of sentencing.

In Camborne on November 21 last year, 18-year-old Cairan Hayes assaulted emergency care assistant John Shine. He also pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly at Camborne Bus Station on the same date, as well as using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause fear of violence.

Hayes, of Trevenson Street, Camborne, was given a four-week curfew to run between 6pm and 6am daily, with electronic monitoring.

He must also pay compensation of £100 to Mr Shine, £85 prosecution costs and the £95 victim services surcharge.

Following a string of crimes, Zacharia Howse, of Eastbourne Road in Mount Charles, St Austell, has been sentenced to a total of 20 months in prison after he went on to offend just five days after a suspended sentence.

The court was told he had a record of violent offences and "putting people in fear and a long history of similar offending."

The 29-year-old resisted arrest from PC Bazin in St Austell on March 31, for which he was given two weeks in prison.

He was also guilty of having a hammer with him in St Austell's Poundland on the same date, which got him a further six months in prison.

The assault of PC Hunt in St Austell added a further six months in prison, while threatening to set fire and blow up a store belonging to a woman got him another four months.

He was ordered to pay £100 compensation to both her and PC Hunt.

In addition, Howse admitted damaging a custody cell in Camborne on March 31 by blocking the toilet and flooding it, leading to a £50 specialist cleaning bill. A further one month in prison was added to his sentence.

No separate sentence was given for him also punching a perspex screen in the charge room at Camborne Police Station and being violent to custody staff and officers.

The run of crimes meant that previously suspended sentences made on April 16, for possession of an offensive weapon in the form of a broken glass bottle, and assaulting four more emergency workers in St Austell – Paramedic Fisk, PC Emily Rickard, PC Jason Forrest and PC Alexander Clark – along with Detention Officer Jolley in Camborne, all on January 18, were then activated.

Some were ordered to run consecutively, while others could run concurrently (at the same time as the others), making the total of 20 months behind bars.

Adele Hannah Towse, of Berries Avenue, Bude, was guilty of assaulting police officer Angela Cox in Bude between August 20 and August 22 last year, by beating her.

Towse was sentenced with a community order that included a requirement to receive mental health treatment for six months, and also complete up to ten days of rehabilitation activities.

The 22-year-old was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to her victim, as well as an £80 fine, £85 prosecution costs and a £95 surcharge to fund victim services.

Teenager Sophie Louise Jasper was guilty of assaulting PC Jordan in St Austell on January 28 this year.

She also admitted assaulting a woman and damaging the victim's TV, mirror, two limited edition pictures, a statue and staircase spindles on the same date, and having eight grammes of cannabis a controlled class B drug, with her in Camborne on January 29.

The 19-year-old, of no fixed address, was remanded on conditional bail until June 1, for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Brian John Knight, aged 30 of St Austell Road, St Blazey Gate, Par, was guilty of beating PC Dominic Husband at Summercourt while en route to a police station on October 17 last year, and then Detention Officer Andy Myles after arriving at Newquay Custody Centre.

Magistrates issued him with a three-month curfew to run between 8pm and 8am each day, with electronic monitoring.

He must also carry out up to ten days of rehabilitation activities and pay compensation of £100 to PC Husband, who was injured, as well as the £85 prosecution costs and a £95 victim services charge.

Michael Lee Wade is waiting to be sentenced for assaulting PC Barnes in St Austell on March 20 this year.

The 29-year-old, of Sarahs Lane, Padstow, also admitted being drunk and disorderly in Poltair Court, St Austell and driving a Volkswagen Golf on the same road when he was double the drink drive limit, with 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit being 35 microgrammes.

He was remanded on unconditional bail while the case was adjourned for a a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Sean Stephen Gammon, aged 31, changed his plea to guilty of assaulting Sergeant John Scrimgeour in Newquay on September 8, 2019, having initially pleaded not guilty.

Gammon, of Nadder Meadow, South Moulton, Devon, was fined £180 and ordered to pay £50 to his victim, along with £350 in prosecution costs and a £32 victim services charge.

Mark Edward Perry, aged 41, of St Marys Road, Biscovery, Par, was guilty of assaulting PC Hankins in Par on November 2 last year.

He also pleaded guilty to assaulting three further men on the same date and damaging the bonnet and windscreen of a vehicle.

For each of the four assaults he was ordered to pay £150 compensation.

Perry was placed under a restraining order not to contact five named people or go to Bobs Road, St Blazey and Southview Road, Biscovey, lasting until April 15, 2023.

He must also carry out up to 25 days of rehabilitation activities.