Published at 13:10, Monday, 07 May 2012

PARAMEDICS trying to treat a drunken Barrow teen were shocked when he became abusive and hit out at them.

The 17-year-old was lying on the floor in Winchester Street, Barrow, when the North West Ambulance Service staff arrived to treat him on March 29.

A hearing at Furness Youth Court was told the young man was surrounded by concerned people when paramedics arrived on the scene about 12am.

However, prosecutor Mrs Lesley Duhig said when paramedic Michelle Doherty shook him by the arm to see how he was he jumped up and began abusing her and the crowd.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, then went over to a parked car and punched and kicked it, as well as headbutting the wing-mirror, before pushing Ms Doherty’s colleague, Elizabeth Bell.

He also swung a punch at her but missed, before trying to punch Ms Doherty.

Mrs Duhig said: “It seems this punch missed largely because Ms Bell pushed her colleague out of the way.”

The two women managed to restrain the teenager by sitting on him, before a police officer arrived and arrested him.

In interview he said he had been drinking large amounts of cider and did not remember the incident.

Mrs Duhig said: “This was violence and threatening behaviour in the street, which was alcohol-fuelled and directed towards people who were trying to help him.”

The youth admitted assault by beating and using threatening or abusive language.

Chair of the magistrates Mr John Jones gave the defendant a youth rehabilitation order for 12 months, with a requirement to do 120 hours unpaid work and a 12 month supervision order.

He was ordered to pay £50 costs.

l In 2010/11 NWAS staff were physically abused 289 times and 215 in 2011/12.

Director of emergency services for North West Ambulance Service, Derek Cartwright, said: “The behaviour of this individual is totally unacceptable. We fully welcome this sentence and hope it sends out a very clear message to anyone who assaults our crews, either verbally or physically, that they may face prosecution. In some cases we have even seen custodial sentences.

“We go to great lengths to ensure our staff can treat patients in an environment that is safe and secure. The protection of our staff is a priority of ours and we will continue to work on a number of campaigns and initiatives designed to keep them safe.”

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk