'Absolutely abhorrent': Female paramedic stabbed in violent assault
An off-duty female paramedic who was buckling her two young children into the back seat of her car has been stabbed by a man who allegedly grabbed her from behind and left a 15cm gash across her chest.
The woman had picked up her children and was grabbing some dinner after finishing her shift on Friday night when a man approached her on the Nepean Highway in Rosebud at about 6.30pm.
Police say the woman was approached by a male on a bicycle, who then cut her with what is believed to be a small flick knife before riding off.
Ambulance Victoria chief executive Tony Walker said the woman had two young children aged under 10 in the back seat of the car, who both witnessed the "absolutely abhorrent" attack.
"[It was] a horrendous assault on someone who has finished the day shift, had picked up the kids, was picking up some dinner... and she's been assaulted by someone who we think we may have treated as a patient in the past," he told 3AW.
"He's reached in behind her in the car and basically slashed her chest with a knife, she had a 15cm wound to her chest, thank goodness it hasn't gone deeper than a superficial wound but it's pretty horrendous."
The woman had been reaching behind her to buckle in one of her children when she felt someone grab her from behind. She then realised she had been stabbed, Mr Walker said.
"Sadly you think you've seen the worst of things then you hear about these sort of things happening. And we think she's been targeted because she was in uniform... it's just disgusting," he said.
"The police have obviously taken someone into custody as a result of the incident. We believe that it is someone she or Ambulance Victoria may have treated in the past... our view is she was targeted because she was in uniform."
The woman was treated for minor injuries and taken to Frankston Hospital. She has since been discharged.
A 47-year-old man was arrested on Saturday in relation to the attack. The man, of no fixed place of address, is assisting police with their enquiries.
The attack comes amid a state government crackdown which will see violent attacks on emergency services workers placed in the same category as offences including murder and rape.
The announcement from the state government followed a spate of violent assaults on emergency service workers, and widespread outrage over the quashing of a jail term on appeal for two women who assaulted paramedic Paul Judd in 2016.
Ambulance Employee Association Victorian secretary Danny Hill said the stabbing attack on the paramedic highlighted the need for legislative changes to include minimum mandatory sentences for people who assault emergency workers.
“This incident is gut-wrenching and disturbing and sends shockwave through the entire ambulance family. Here was a paramedic with her children, picking up dinner after work like so many workers do and she’s ended up spending the night in hospital leaving her children traumatised," he said.
"Incidents like this highlight the need for strong laws to protect paramedics and the need for a strong message of deterrence against assaults on emergency workers."
Mr Walker said he was unsure whether the new legislation would cover the Rosebud stabbing attack, but said they would now have to advise staff not to wear their uniform when they are off-duty.
"It's getting to that point, we have previously during particularly elevated security risks advised staff to be careful not wearing the uniform outside of work," he said.
"I mean I do it, I wear my uniform, I don't think twice about it, you jump in car, you might stop at the shop or something. I think this has highlighted the risk to us obviously and we have to talk to our staff about it."
Anyone who witnessed the incident or with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au