Tivyside | Archive | 2005 | June | 15
From the Tivyside Advertiser, first published Wednesday 15th Jun 2005.
A North Pembrokeshire man, who aspired to join the emergency services, was found guilty last week of common assault on two paramedics.
Haverfordwest magistrates heard how John James Simonson of Parc y Bedw, Abercych, assaulted two paramedics while they were attending to his sister. The court heard the defendant's mother had gone on holiday.
Simonson, his sister and a friend subsequently embarked on a drinking spree.
An ambulance had been called to the home where they found the defendant's sister unconscious on the floor after she had fallen and banged her head.
Simonson is reported to have become very abusive, preventing them from doing their job by pushing the paramedics.
They took the defendant's sister into the ambulance but declined entrance to Simonson. Mr David Weale, prosecuting, told how Simonson got into his vehicle and drove to the rear of the ambulance. Paramedic Stuart George got out and was pushed by the defendant four to five times in the chest amid extreme verbal abuse.
Police arrived at the scene shortly afterwards. The defendant failed to give a specimen of breath. In Simonson's defence the court heard there were no injuries sustained.
But magistrates said the abuse of paramedics was a very grave matter and that Simonson's actions could have had very grave consequences for his sister whose treatment he was obstructing.
Simonson pleaded guilty to failing to produce a breath specimen and two counts of assault. He was disqualified from driving for two years, ordered to pay compensation of £50 each to the paramedics, £55 court costs and complete an alcohol awareness course.
© Newsquest Media Group 2008