New public order sex offence securing justice for victims of sex-based harassment across London

A Met investigation has secured justice for a paramedic who was a victim of sex-based harassment, in one of the first convictions of its kind.

New legislation which makes it an offence to cause someone harassment based on their sex or presumed sex came into force on 1 April 2026. It builds on existing public order legislation to provide the courts with sentencing powers of up to two years rather than the current six month maximum.

Where officers can evidence that a suspect has intentionally caused another person harassment, alarm or distress because of their sex or presumed sex, they can pursue charges for the new offence.

In the first three months that the offence came into force, 22 people were charged.

On Wednesday, 15 July, Ahmed Sheiki Ahmed, 40 (04.05.86) of Wales Close, Southwark, pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress on account of sex against an on-duty paramedic. He was sentenced to three months in prison and was ordered to pay a £150 fine.

On Sunday, 5 April, police were called to reports of a drunk man verbally abusing an ambulance crew.

Ahmed was found at the scene verbally abusing a female paramedic, using sexualised and misogynistic language while she was providing emergency care.

Officers swiftly arrested him for the new offence and for being drunk and disorderly. He was charged with both offences the next day.

Detective Superintendent Dan Thompson, the Met’s VAWG lead, said:

“Women and girls deserve to walk London’s streets freely without enduring obscene abuse and unnerving, scary invasions of their personal space.

“This new legislation is helping us to take stronger action against perpetrators, stepping in to protect victims and keep abusive offenders off London’s streets.

“I hope the creation of a standalone category of offending, and our use of it to bring charges, will give victims greater confidence that the whole criminal justice system is taking this sort of unacceptable behaviour seriously.

“I hope, too, that the tougher penalties will cause those who might be minded to engage in this sort of offending to think again.”

Speaking about her experience, London Ambulance Service paramedic Ella Johnson said:

“I was there to help him and instead I had to listen to him using sexist degrading language and trying to grab me. We come to work each day to try to help and make things better for people and we don’t deserve to be treated this way. No one should be treated like this – women and girls should feel safe when they are out in public.

“This law will help us, and I hope other women will feel encouraged to report sex-based harassment – speaking up will make a difference.”

The new legislation can be used to protect both male and female victims of harassment, although figures show that women are disproportionately affected by these crimes.

It will also help the Met and other forces to track the extent of criminal behaviour that is intended to harass someone in public, based on their sex or presumed sex. This will provide more useful data to show the scourge of abuse women face in their everyday lives.

In May, the Met announced that charges for offences involving violence against women and girls (VAWG) generally have increased by 71 per cent, while the number of rape cases where officers had secured charges have more than doubled over the last year in London. The Met is now a leading force across England and Wales for securing charges for victims of rape and VAWG offences.