Wolverhampton 'menace', 74, attacked paramedics

Pensioner Edward Lynch, from Wolverhampton, twice called the emergency services after getting drunk but turned on the ambulance staff who arrived to help him, a court heard.

The 74-year-old was told that his age and drink problem were 'no excuse' for his behaviour. He was given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay compensation to the injured staff.

District judge GrahamWilkinson told him: "The world doesn't have enough paramedics and if you take an ambulance out of action, people might die."

The offences took place in January and February of this year but Mr Roger Bleazard, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Magistrates Court that Lynch was still continuing to make 999 calls, despite receiving warning letters from West Midlands Ambulance Service.

The pensioner, of Vicarage Road, Wednesfield, pleaded guilty to two assaults on January 29 and another attack, causing actual bodily harm, on February 15, which was further aggravated by being a 'hate crime'.

The court heard that he rang the ambulance service after drinking, sometimes because he was lonely. On one occasion he simply demanded to be taken to hospital even though there was nothing wrong with him.

Mr Beazard said 'a huge amount' of public money was being wasted in answering the calls.

On the first occasion, Lynch assaulted paramedic Sean Fuller by grabbing his wrists, running his hands halfway up his arms and squeezing pressure points at his elbows, deliberately hurting him whilst abusing him to his face.

When Mr Fuller's colleague, Shelly Whitmore, stepped in to help him, Lynch punched her.

In the February attack, he used a key to stab a female paramedic in the back of her hand after verbally abusing her, criticising her physical appearance, caused by ongoing health difficulties, as part of the tirade against her.

Judge Wilkinson called it a hate crime.

A pre-sentence report described Lynch as an alcoholic who had been drinking heavily for 30 years and also suffered from medical problems. He had been attending a recovery clinic and co-operating with a support worker. He told the court's probation staff he deserved to go to prison for his actions.

Mr Wilkinson said: "You are a man with a drink problem but that does not excuse you. You need to stop bothering the 999 service because you feel lonely. Paramedics turn up to help you and you reward them by assaulting them. You are a menace."

He sentenced Lynch to a total of 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months on condition he attend a six-month alcohol treatment course. He was also ordered to pay £530, including £150 compensation to each of the three injured paramedics.