A MAN who threatened to kill three paramedics has walked free from court after a judge ruled the episode was caused by a severe epileptic seizure.

Neil Fairless, 45, was said to have been in “an altered state of consciousness” when he tried to attack the medics with a kitchen knife on January 6.

Consultant forensic psychiatrist, Dr Steven Barlow, told Teesside Crown Court that Fairless’s behaviour was due to automatism.

The drama unfolded after a rapid response crew was called to his home in Raby Road, Ferryhill, County Durham, said Yvonne Taylor, prosecuting. Paramedic Michael Midgley said the patient was “quite agitated” and told him he thought he was suffering a heart attack and wanted to go to hospital.

Mr Midgley said he then threw himself to the ground, got up and began kicking a radiator, started shouting and screaming and said: “I need a knife.”

Fairless returned from the kitchen with a knife with an 8in serrated blade and “seemed to go for” ambulance crew member Kevin Dinning.

When the medics and their colleague, Lisa Mallen, retreated from the house to their vehicles, Fairless again tried to get at them, the court heard.

A witness told how he saw Fairless “going beserk”, chasing two medics across the road then try to smash the windows to the ambulance.

“He was in a frenzy,” the bystander said in a statement.

“He was not raging. He was, it would appear, like a psycho. It was as if he enjoyed it.”

Armed police were called to the scene just before 10.30pm and the witness said he ignored the officers and went for him as if he was “in a trance”.

At his trial in July, the jury was directed to find Fairless not guilty of three charges of making threats to kill, having a bladed article and criminal damage by reason of insanity.

Judge Peter Bowers yesterday imposed a supervision order or two years on condition that Fairless continues to receive treatment for his medical problem.

He said: “It is obvious he has had a long history of epilepsy and that obviously accounts for the state he was in. He was not conscious of what he was doing.

“If he knew what he was doing at the time, he would be guilty. It is obvious from the medical evidence that he did not know what he was doing.

“Following an epileptic seizure, patients can develop a state of confusion or psychosis.

One witness described him as being like a psycho – laughing. He was not with it, literally.

“This was the unfortunate state he was in at that time.

He is not now. He is perfectly reasonable and manageable.

The only risk I can see is if he stops taking his medication again.”