The Docklands and East London Advertiser
LONDON — A drunk patient who choked a paramedic and tried to throw him down the stairs when the ambulance worker tried to help him was convicted of common assault.
Emergency medical technician Paul La Roche was called to treat Daud Omer at his home in Abbot Road, Bromley-by-Bow, after the 28-year-old fell in the early hours of Sunday, June 3.
But Omer became violent and attacked Mr La Roche and his female colleague.
“When we turned up it was obvious that the patient had been drinking,” Mr La Roche said.
“My colleague and I were walking the patient down the stairs to the ambulance when he started acting up.
“All of a sudden he grabbed me by the throat and tried to push me backwards down the stairs.
“I managed to knock his hand away, but then he grabbed my colleague’s hand and bent her thumb back.”
The police were called and arrested Mr Omer.
Paul and his colleague, who are based at Homerton ambulance station in neighbouring borough Hackney, gave statements before finishing their shift.
Omer was convicted of common assault at Thames Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday.
He was given a 20-day community order and ordered to pay £50 compensation.
Nick Yard, Hackney ambulance operations manager, said: “This case demonstrates that assaults on staff will not be tolerated and we will pursue prosecution where we can.
“Our staff should be able to treat patients in their community without fear of being attacked.”
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