Sunderland teenager threatened to 'blow up an ambulance' and stab crew

Dylan Geldard, 19, also took out a lighter and held it to the grill of the emergency vehicle in an apparent bid to set it on fire, a court heard.

Geldard, of Earlston Street, Carley Hill, became aggressive with security guards and police during his outburst.

He also threatened to spit at officers and his head was placed in a protective hood to prevent him doing so after being led outside on Friday, October 30.

Magistrates have now urged Geldard, who has seven previous convictions and has spent time in prison, to turn his life around.

They sentenced him to a 12-month community and ordered him to work with the Probation Service for 25 days of rehabilitation to try to change his ways.

Prosecutor Grace Taylor said: “At 12.25pm the witness, a security guard, stated that he was on duty at the hospital.

“The defendant was refusing to leave despite having been discharged. He became verbally abusive to him when he got up to leave.

“He began asking where his cigarettes were and thought they may be in the ambulance.

“He made reference that he might stab an ambulance crew and blow up an ambulance.

“Outside he approached an ambulance and took a lighter to the front grill as if to try to set it alight.

“Security continued to try to get him away. He struggled and due to his behaviour, the police were contacted.

“The police also had difficulties restraining the defendant and had to put him in a spit hood to prevent him spitting on officers.”

Greg Flaxen, defending, said: “They were empty threats that could never have been carried out

“’I’m going to bomb an ambulance’? That would never be carried out in a million years.

“There was a threat to spit, he didn’t. There was no substantial force and no weapons thrown.”

Geldard, who pleaded guilty to causing fear of unlawful violence, was also fined £40 and must pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

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