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A Melbourne paramedic who was violently assaulted after attending to an unconscious man has reportedly broken down after hearing his attackers would walk free.

Paul Judd, a paramedic of 40 years, needed three operations after being repeatedly punched and left with a broken foot. Two years on, the 63-year-old continues to live with pain and is unable to return to work.

Mr Judd’s attackers, Amanda Warren, 33, and Caris Underwood, 20, walked free after Judge Barbara Cotterell quashed the sentences on appeal, deciding the women should not serve the mandatory minimum.

“Whilst having enormous sympathy for the victims who were attacked while going about their duties as emergency workers… I have reached the conclusion that imposing the sentence at this stage would achieve little,” Judge Cotterell told the court.

Rita Panahi responded to the ruling on Sky News saying, “We have a mandatory minimum 6-month jail term in Victoria but the magistrates and judges are finding ways to get around it… When you sentence somebody, it is partly to punish them for what they’ve done. And it’s partly to act as a deterrent towards others, and this sentence does neither of those things.”

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