MAN RECEIVES PRISON SENTENCE FOR ASSAULTING 2 FEMALE PARAMEDICS

SINCE a North West Ambulance Service Crew sustain serious injuries following an attack in Greater Manchester, a man has been jailed for 19 months for assaulting 2 female paramedics.  The 2 had been responding to a 999 call within the Newton Heath, Manchester area.

Lee Smith, 38, of Petrock Walk, Newton Heath, received the custodial sentence at Manchester Crown Court, this week, after pleading guilty to Grievous Bodily Harm and Common Assault following the incident in September last year.

The North West Ambulance Service were called to Smith's address by his mother, as he had taken a handful of pills with vodka in an attempted overdose. When the ambulance crew arrived, Smith seemed cross when he realised that his mother had called 999 and didn't want to be tended to. After the crew, one student Paramedic and one Paramedic, tried to persuade Mr. Smith to cooperate so they could provide the help he needed, he elbowed one of them in the face, knocking her into a piece of furniture, then grabbed the other's wrist and threw her against the wall with her head bouncing off the wall, whilst also being subjected to verbal abuse.

One Paramedic was treated for a fractured collarbone which has resulted in limited mobility in her shoulder and is still unable to return to work and the other received a large haemotoma to the back of the head, resulting in her having to undertake light duties.

Derek Cartwright, Director of Operations for North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said:- "The Trust is delighted with this sentence and hopes it sends out a clear message that if you assault an ambulance crew, you face the real possibility of going to prison.  I was outraged at this attack which resulted in 2 members of staff, requiring hospital treatment and being unable to do their job, helping members of the community in need.  Violence against ambulance crews will not be tolerated. We work closely with the Police to ensure that the people responsible are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. It is a sad fact that we are becoming almost used to hearing of our staff being either verbally or physically assaulted - there have been numerous serious cases in the last 6 months alone which is appalling."

MOT FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION FOR MOTORISTS ON A BUDGET

THE drivers of older cars are prepared to pay more than the owners of newer, more exotic vehicles to keep them on the road according to fresh research from Halfords Autocentres.  66% of drivers whose cars are worth less than £1,000 are prepared to spend over 10% of the car's value to ensure it remains roadworthy; that's compared to just 20% of drivers, who have cars worth over £10,000.

Rory Carlin from Halfords Autocentres explains:- "Whether you're the owner of a Maserati or a Mini, cutting back on maintenance is a false economy. However, our research shows that the drivers of less valuable cars are more willing to act upon faults as they arise.  They are less able to afford large unforeseen bills that could effectively put the vehicle beyond economic repair but are just as dependent on their car as more affluent drivers, so guard against them by keeping on top of repairs."

The findings are from Halfords Autocentres 'Friend of the Motorist Study' - a biennial look into driver behaviour and coincide with the single busiest month of the year for MOT testing.  Almost 2.7 million vehicles (28% more than the annual average) will be examined by garages during March - of which the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency predict over 1 million will fail.

Commenting on the findings, Maria McCarthy author of The Girls' Car Handbook said:- "The annual MOT test can be an anxious time; like waiting for exam results or watching your child go off on a school trip.  Expensive work can mean a difficult choice needs to be made; especially if money is tight and there isn't enough set aside to buy a new car. But taking advice from an experienced mechanic who's familiar with your car will help.  Knowledge is power, so drivers need to understand whether a repair is likely to result in many more miles of happy motoring or they are potentially throwing good money after bad."

To read or download Halfords Autocentres Friend of the Motorists Study in full visit:- halfordsautocentres.com/friend-of-the-motorist.