The letter states workers are "justifiably angry and disgusted" after a County Court decision this week allowed two women to avoid a mandatory six-month jail term for assaulting a paramedic, citing "special reasons". "This manifestly unjust outcome has occurred despite Victoria's Sentencing Act 1991 mandating a custodial sentence for people convicted of assaulting an emergency services worker," the letter reads. The unions said they welcome Health Minister Jill Hennessy's comments that the government intends to close loopholes used in the case, but it wasn't enough. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video

In the most recent attack, Ambulance Victoria say two paramedics were assaulted on Thursday by a man in his 60s who had collapsed, smelling of alcohol, at Caroline Springs train station at 9.40pm. "The man was intoxicated and became abusive and threatened paramedics," a spokeswoman said. "As he was taken to hospital he punched the male paramedic. At hospital he again threatened paramedics, spat at them and kicked the female paramedic. "Both paramedics continued their shift after the incident." Paramedics alongside their car with a message of protest written on the side. Credit:Jason South

It comes as the state opposition prepares to introduce a private members bill next week which would mean people under the influence of drugs or alcohol who attack paramedics will not be able to use it is an excuse to dodge jail time. The law giving a mandatory six months' jail for assaulting an emergency service worker was originally brought in by the Napthine Coalition government in 2014. But the law stipulated an offender could provide "special reasons" to the court why they shouldn't be received the jail term. Those "special reasons" are what Judge Barbara Cotterell relied on for her County Court decision on Tuesday to quash the jail time for two women who badly injured veteran paramedic Paul Judd in March 2016. Amanda Warren, a mother of four, and Caris Underwood had been facing jail time but Judge Cotterell upheld the women's appeal and ruled the pair had made "enormous" efforts to turn their lives around. A legal source said the legislation had "holes the size a semi-trailer could drive through". He said law-makers should have used the term "exceptional circumstances" because no one knows what "special reasons" mean, whereas exceptional circumstances is a test widely used and understood in the justice system.

"Why muck around and introduce a different test of 'special reasons'?" Meanwhile, a change.org petition has been created calling for Underwood and Warren to "face the consequences of the crime they have committed". About 15,000 people have signed it. The paramedic who was allegedly punched in the face and spat at by an intoxicated man in the early hours of Thursday has added to the growing number of paramedics calling for change. The senior officer who was assaulted in Epping, in Melbourne's north, about 12.40am on Thursday suffered back and facial injuries after being called to a house. A 22-year-old man reportedly fell unconscious after drinking excessively and shouted abuse and spat at paramedics after he was woken.

"I'm probably a little numb in some respects," the 44-year-old, who wanted to remain anonymous, told 3AW Radio on Friday. "I hear this young fellow wanted to apologise and was hoping to give me that apology in person. I'm not sure how I feel about that just yet. "It's great he does feel remorseful, but I think someone who has had a series of operations and is still not back to work, if one of us loses an eye or is pushed down the stairs and acquires a brain injury, the apology is beside the point." He said he had felt threatened while on the job in the past but had never been injured before, telling the program he felt anxious and nervous going back to work. "We cannot even get to a point where this is normalised in any way," he said.

"Paramedics are exposed to occupational violence almost every shift and that has been worsening year upon year since I became an ambo. It's on a continuum... we are having to de-escalate more jobs than not. That's sad." He said he wouldn't weigh into the debate about whether there should be absolute mandatory sentences for offenders who assault paramedics but expressed concern about the message Judge Cotterell's decision sent to the public. "I think paramedics believe there were mandatory sentences and when we were injured they'd be applied," he said. "But what I can say is recently we are seeing a trend towards paramedics feeling terribly let down." "The sentence Paul Judd will have to live with is far greater and much, much longer than anything these two woman have had to endure."

Assistant secretary of the Ambulance Union Danny Hill said the latest attacks reinforced the need for tightened legislation. "These latest attacks highlight that the message isn't getting through to some people despite a massive public campaign. It reinforces the need for strong laws to protect emergency workers. Laws that mean if you bash a paramedic you go to jail – no questions asked," he said. -With AAP