Man assaulted two paramedics in ambulance as he suffered a mental health crisis

A Wisbech man who assaulted two emergency workers must await his fate after magistrates adjourned his court case for a pre-sentence report.King’s Lynn magistrates ordered an all-options report on Paul Mason when he appeared before them on Thursday.Mason, 65, of Sefton Avenue, admitted assaulting by beating two paramedics, using threatening, abusive, or insulting behaviour towards another emergency worker, and to causing criminal damage to one of the paramedics’ jackets. The incidents happened in Lynn.

Stephen Munton, prosecuting, told the court Mason had called 999 on November 18 to say he needed an ambulance as he was having a mental health crisis.A female emergency worker was the first to arrive, and Mason made sexualised comments towards her as she tried to help him. An ambulance also attended to take Mason to hospital.Mr Munton said that during the journey, Mason tried to unstrap himself and had also kicked out at one of the paramedics, hitting him in the arm as he tried to protect his face. The other paramedic got in the back of the ambulance to see what was going on, and Mason also assaulted him. He then tried to set fire to his jacket, causing damage.Mason also smoked a cigarette close to a set of oxygen tanks, which was of concern to the paramedics. Jade Foley, mitigating, suggested the magistrates might want a pre-sentence report before sentencing Woods.She said he had mental health issues as well as a problem with alcohol. He had drunk a litre of vodka leading up the events on November 18, she said.Since the incident, he has tried to seek help from his GP but has been struggling to get an appointment.Magistrates agreed and ordered an all-options report. They adjourned the case to January 28, releasing Mason on unconditional bail to that date.