Community service for spitting blood at paramedics

Editorial Department • Published 26 Jan 2012 13:00

A 35-year-old cyclist who fell off his bike attacked two female paramedics who went to help him and spat blood in their faces, Fermanagh Court has been told.

Patrick David Shiels, of Sylvan Hill, Lisnaskea, was given 240 hours of community service when he admitted assaulting Jennifer Conway and Claire Ruddy.

A prosecutor told the court that on June 16, last year, Mrs. Conway, a paramedic with the Ambulance Service, reported that she had been attacked by Shiels on the Bog Road at Lisnaskea. She said that while treating him he had struck out at her, hitting her on the upper chest, and as she continued to treat him he spat blood in her face on two occasions. Her colleague, Miss. Ruddy, said Shiels also attacked her, striking her on the upper lip and spitting blood in her face. Neither woman sustained physical injury.

The court heard that when Shiels was interviewed by police he told them that while he was aware of the incident he could not remember what happened. He said he was very sorry and asked for his apologies to be passed to the paramedics.

Defence solicitor, Mr. Brian Charity, said Shiels acknowledged that his behaviour was unacceptable and had asked him to apologise to the paramedics.

"He accepts the job they do is a particularly difficult one and his actions that day didn't make it any easier for them," said Mr. Charity.

He said the common denominator in Shiels' offending behaviour was alcohol. He was quite sociable and well-mannered when he was not drinking but was "completely different" when he consumed alcohol.

"He tells me he hasn't consumed any alcohol since that day," added Mr. Charity.

The solicitor explained that Shiels had been "off the drink for a number of months" but on this particular day fell in with his brother and went drinking. He then foolishly got on his bike and as he cycled along the Bog Road he fell into a drain.

"He hadn't a clue where he was and the next thing he remembered is that there were people around him and he thought he was being attacked," said Mr. Charity.

The solicitor acknowledged that the blue flashing lights of the ambulance should have been an indication to Shiels that the emergency services were there.

Deputy District Judge Terence Dunlop told Shiels he had assaulted people who provided an "invaluable service" to the public and the court was obliged to "take a dimmer view of that than an ordinary assault".

He explained that in such circumstances the guidelines were that a sentence should have a higher starting point "because the court has a duty to protect those who are providing a valuable service to the public".

He told Shiels he had been considering a suspended prison sentence to have "something hanging over you" but the pre-sentence report by a probation officer had recommended giving him the maximum 240 hours of community service.

"It's not a soft option," stressed the Deputy District Judge.

He added that it was only by good fortune that the two paramedics suffered no lasting injury.

"That is a matter of luck," he stated.

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This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 26 Jan 12

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