Man, 66, spared jail for threatening to kill paramedic in drunken rampage after downing 15 pints

Alan Palin, 66, of Wilfrid Street, Boldon Colliery, must instead pay compensation to the 999 lifesaver and his colleague for the terrifying back-of-ambulance encounter.

He warned them he was ex-forces and had served in Northern Ireland during the stop-start journey from outside the Ship and Royal pub in South Shields town centre.

Instead he lashed out after being left humiliated by the laughs of children who spotted him tumble over in King Street after exiting the pub’s toilet.

Magistrates in South Tyneside heard police were called to deal with him en route when the paramedics began to fear for their safety at 7.45pm on Saturday, July 11.

After he calmed down and the journey continued, Palin again kicked off – and was delivered by them directly to South Shields police station.

Prosecutor Lee Poppett said: “There is a report of a male outside the pub on the floor and staff and members of the public are concerned for him.

“He was talking to the paramedics and is helped to his feet. He said he didn’t want help.

“Mr Palin said that he had been to the lavatory and had felt faint and had had 15 pints.

“He was intoxicated and was helped into the ambulance, and it was at this point that he became aggressive.

“The man driving the ambulance called the police. Mr Palin calmed down.”

The ambulance got as far as Coronation Street when Palin made a threat to hit one of the paramedics, but instead punched the vehicle’s microphone.

Mr Poppett said the driver stopped and got into the back, only for Palin to again calm down and the journey to restart.

But he added: “He became more aggressive and [the ambulance driver] heard noise and the seat belt coming off. He pulls into the police station.

“[The paramedic] describes he was in fear. [The driver] has asked for assistance from the police. [The paramedic] has pressed the panic button.

“Mr Palin is no longer in his seat and has tried to headbutt [the paramedic]. He’s missed. The police take him into custody.

“[The driver] describes Mr Palin saying he was ex-forces and he would kill his colleague and had Covid-19. He pretended to cough.

“He said he was ex-forces in Ireland and threatened to kill [the paramedic].”

Joanne Gatens, defending, said Palin rarely drank and had gone out after not seeing anyone from the start to end of lockdown.

She added: “He is extremely remorseful and extremely embarrassed. He didn’t quite appreciate how much he’d had.”

Palin pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker, threatening unlawful violence and causing criminal damage.

He was handed a 12-month community order with a requirement of 20 days of rehabilitation work with the Probation Service.

He was fined £200 and must pay compensation of £100 to the paramedic, £50 to the paramedic who was driving and £100 to the North East Ambulance Service.

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