A woman spat at a paramedic who had been sent to help her and threw a brick at an emergency ambulance during a violent altercation with the crew.
Carol McKnight had drunk two bottles of wine before she decided to get into her car and drop a letter off to her local police station in Boultham.
The 56-year-old then headed back to her home where an emergency ambulance crew had responded to an abandoned 999 call.
During Court proceedings, Jim Clare for the Crown Prosecution Service said:
“It was the early hours of the morning.
“Police were called to Chestnut Road at the request of an ambulance crew that had responded to an abandoned 999 call.
“They spoke to a paramedic who explained that the defendant had spat at them and thrown a house brick at the ambulance.
“Mrs McKnight had arrived at the scene and said she had consumed two bottles of wine before driving.
“She got aggressive with the ambulance crew who pointed out the dangers of drink driving.”
Mr Clare added:
“The police go to the defendant’s address where they were met by her at the front door.
“She becomes agitated and angry which results in her being handcuffed.
“She said she did not drive far – only to Boultham police station and that it was not like a 16-mile drive.”
McKnight was breathalysed and gave a reading of 46 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the limit is 35. She admitted drink driving on January 17.
McKnight was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 surcharge.
The case once again highlights the constant threat being faced by emergency ambulance crews who are only trying to help and assist people who have called for help.
This kind of behaviour is still showing a worrying upward trend, despite the efforts of some Ambulance Trusts to introduce body worn camera for medics and despite the recent introduction of the Assault On Emergency Services (Workers) Act.
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