Sarah Bradley prosecuted and sentenced for attack on ambulance crew

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Sarah Bradley, from Rochdale, has been prosecuted and sentenced to a curfew order between the hours of 7pm to 7am for a twelve week period and required to pay £110 fine for physically assaulting an ambulance crew after they had been called out to provide her with emergency medical treatment. 

The incident occurred in October last year when two members of NWAS staff arrived and assisted Sarah Bradley, who was apparently intoxicated, into the ambulance.

She was initially compliant with the clinicians carrying out observations of her condition, however the her demeanor suddenly changed and she shoulder barged one of the crew with such force that they fell through the side door of the ambulance.

As the crew attempted to calm her down she once again charged at the member of staff before turning her attention to the other crew member and kicking them in the face.

The crew immediately requested assistance from the police and as they waited Bradley continued to be aggressive towards them and urinated on the ambulance floor.

Bradley was arrested and, with the full support from the Trust’s local and senior management, the crew informed the police that they wish to pursue a prosecution against their attacker.

Bradley originally pleaded not guilty to the charge but just minutes before the hearing, on 5 February at Bury Magistrates Court, she changed her plea to guilty. She was sentenced to a curfew order between the hours of 7pm to 7am for a twelve week period and required to pay £110 fine.

The crew members wish to remain anonymous, but one of them commented: “'I am encouraged that a positive outcome for myself and my colleague was achieved. It is completely unacceptable for any ambulance staff to be subject to abuse when we are there to help people and save lives. I do hope that more of my colleagues can be motivated to defend their rights.

“We all have a right to do our job without fear of either physical or verbal abuse. I and my colleague would like to thank everyone involved for their support; from the police, to all NWAS staff involved and the legal personnel that helped to make this possible.”

Steve Hynes, NWAS Head of Service in Greater Manchester, said: “I hope that this case highlights the type of aggression that emergency services staff are all too often subject to.

"The Trust takes a zero tolerance approach to any form of abuse and we will always support our staff to report any violence or aggression towards them and encourage them to press charges against those perpetrators who cause them harm.

“The patient was intoxicated at the time of this incident but this is no excuse. Hopefully by pursuing this prosecution it will make people think twice before they have an inclination to assault or abuse our hardworking staff.”