I11Obstructing or hindering certain emergency workers responding to emergency circumstances

1

A person who without reasonable excuse obstructs or hinders another while that other person is, in a capacity mentioned in subsection (2) below, responding to emergency circumstances, commits an offence.

2

The capacity referred to in subsection (1) above is—

a

that of a person employed by a fire and rescue authority in England and Wales;

F4aa

that of a Ministry of Defence fire-fighter (as defined in section 16 of the Armed Forces Act 2016);

b

in relation to England and Wales, that of a person (other than a person falling within paragraph (a) F5or (aa)) whose duties as an employee or as a servant of the Crown involve—

i

extinguishing fires; or

ii

protecting life and property in the event of a fire;

c

that of a person employed by a relevant NHS body in the provision of ambulance services (including air ambulance services), or of a person providing such services pursuant to arrangements made by, or at the request of, a relevant NHS body;

d

that of a person providing services for the transport of organs, blood, equipment or personnel pursuant to arrangements made by, or at the request of, a relevant NHS body;

e

that of a member of Her Majesty's Coastguard;

f

that of a member of the crew of a vessel operated by—

i

the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, or

ii

any other person or organisation operating a vessel for the purpose of providing a rescue service,

or a person who musters the crew of such a vessel or attends to its launch or recovery.

3

For the purposes of this section and section 2 of this Act, a person is responding to emergency circumstances if the person—

a

is going anywhere for the purpose of dealing with emergency circumstances occurring there; or

b

is dealing with emergency circumstances or preparing to do so.

4

For the purposes of this Act, circumstances are “emergency” circumstances if they are present or imminent and—

a

are causing or are likely to cause—

i

serious injury to or the serious illness (including mental illness) of a person;

ii

serious harm to the environment (including the life and health of plants and animals);

iii

serious harm to any building or other property; or

iv

a worsening of any such injury, illness or harm; or

b

are likely to cause the death of a person.

5

In subsection (2) above “relevant NHS body” means—

a

in relation to England and Wales,F2the Secretary of State in the exercise of public health functions, a local authority in the exercise of public health functions, F6NHS England, F7an integrated care board, an NHS foundation trust, National Health Service trust, Special Health AuthorityF3... or Local Health Board;

b

in relation to Northern Ireland, a F8Health and Social Care trust.

F16

In subsection (5)(a) above “public health functions”—

a

in relation to the Secretary of State, has the same meaning as in section 1H(5)(a) of the National Health Service Act 2006;

b

in relation to a local authority, has the same meaning as in section 1H(5)(b) of that Act.