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A drunken man who was having a seizure punched a trainee female paramedic in the face before damaging an ambulance door by denting it repeatedly with his head.
Paramedics from South East Coast Ambulance Service had been called to Chatham to help Paul Gullen after he suffered the medical attack outside some shops in April last year.
However, after trying to assess him he lashed out at them and told the woman to “f***-off”.
When the medical crew got him in the ambulance, the 55-year-old then punched the trainee in the face before they arrived at Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham.
Magistrates heard he also then slammed his head into the vehicle’s door, causing a large dent in it.
Gullen of Atlanta Court, Chatham, was charged with assault by beating and criminal damage and admitted both offences when he appeared in court in March.
At the time, a pre-sentencing report was ordered and he returned to Medway Magistrates’ Court on May 22 to hear his fate.
Gareth Johnson, prosecuting, said: “This happened on April 3, to a paramedic.
“It was 2.10pm and they were called to a man having a seizure outside shops in Chatham. They were trying to assess him and he started screaming abuse and told her to ‘f***-off’ and he grabbed hold of her top and pulled her towards him.
“They got him in the ambulance, but she shouted to her colleague to pull over on Chatham Hill as the restraints they had put on him had come off.
“It was then he sat up, faced the door and punched her in the face, but there was no injury.
“He then started hitting his head on the door and made a large dent in it. He got out to urinate and then pulled his trousers and pants off.
“He has previous convictions for violence.”
Robert Weston, defending, said his client had no memory of the incident.
He added: “It’s a sensible recommendation in the pre-sentencing report (an alcohol treatment requirement) and he has some mental health issues and rarely leaves the house.
“He’s extremely sorry and appalled by his actions, he can’t articulate how sorry he is, but his last conviction was in 2009 and he’s not heavily convicted, before that he had stayed out of trouble for 16 years.
“His issue is alcohol, but he’s stayed off it since and he’s not going to make the same mistake again. He’s on PIP.”
Magistrates told Gullen the paramedics who work for the ambulance service were just there to help him and do very important jobs and that it was absolutely awful he attacked one.
They placed him on a 12-month community order, which will see him attend 20 rehabilitation sessions and complete an alcohol treatment requirement for nine months.
He was also fined £150 for the offence and must pay the paramedic £150 compensation, and will pay what he owes at a rate of £20 a month as he receives benefits.
