Man is jailed for 999 crew attack

Husband and wife paramedics Julie and Christopher Allan, who were based at Coulby Newham ambulance station, in east Cleveland, were attacked by a drunken wedding guest when they went to the aid of a man who had collapsed at an ex-servicemen's club.

The couple were off work for ten weeks after struggling to fend off the attacker who was storming the ambulance while the unconscious man was in the back, said Aisha Megyery, prosecuting.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Mrs Allan pressed the vehicle's police alarm requesting assistance after arriving at the club to find there was a disturbance outside.

Later, Mr Allan was in the back of the ambulance with the ill man and Mrs Allan was about to drive off when Kevin O'Connell, 28, ripped open the passenger door and pushed her against the driver's door in an attempt to leap into the back.

Mr Allan was attempting to restrain him as he lashed out with punches and kicks, and was shouting and swearing.

Mrs Allan tried to start the ambulance but Connell pushed the power switch and she could not start the engine. His brother managed to drag him out, but as Mrs Allan tried to close the passenger door, she was pushed against the side of the vehicle.

She suffered head, neck and shoulder injuries and her husband received neck injuries.

The court heard that at the time of the offence, O'Connell had been on bail for throwing a beer glass at the manager of a bar in Stockton.

Anna Thomas, who ran the Bamboozer Bar in Stockton High Street, needed four stitches over her right eyebrow and she resigned in fear for her safety after the attack.

Stephen Constantine, defending, said that O'Connell had not touched alcohol since the ambulance crew incident last November, and he wanted to put his violent offending behind him.

O'Connell, of Chestnut Grove, Thornaby, was jailed for 21 months after he pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding the bar manager on July 31 and actual bodily harm and two charges of assault to the ambulance crew on November 15.