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Paddy Leonard, 27 Jan
A man has been jailed at Derry Magistrate's Court today for assaulting
two paramedics as District Judge Barney McElholm said that assaults
like this 'will not be tolerated'.
Adam Toner (35) of Great James Street in Derry admitted two assaults on
paramedics and a criminal damage charge to a PSNI vehicle on August 2
last year.
The court heard that police were called to a flat in Great James Street
after a report that paramedics had been threatened with a knife.
They were told that paramedics were called by Toner and while they were
trying to treat him he became aggressive and picked up a Stanley knife
and moved towards the ambulance staff.
He told the ambulance crew to 'get the f--k out'.
After he was arrested he spat on the floor of a police vehicle
requiring a deep clean.
A defence solicitor said that there was always 'a degree of peril' when
dealing with assaults on paramedics.
He said that these were 'technical assaults' and there was no actual
physical assault.
The solicitor said that 'there was something not right' about the
defendant and a friend had realised this and kept himself between Toner
and the paramedics.
The court heard that Toner had been the victim of a serious assault and
the solicitor said he 'hasn't been right' since that.
Judge McElholm said that this type of behaviour towards the caring
professions 'will not be tolerated'.
He added: "These people are paid a fraction of what they should be paid
and as well as this an increasing number of people are assaulting
them."
Toner was jailed for 5 months.