‘Scumbag spat on me’
Paramedic tells court of disgusting action Sweet gift baked for soldiers
KURANDA paramedic Daniel Roberts still relives the night he was partially blinded by the “scumbag” he had tried to help.
Mr Roberts had searched the streets for William Wallace Barnes, 21, after responding to a 000 call from the man’s sister in December 2016. Barnes had been knocked out by a spear tackle, was likely concussed and wandering about at night.
When he finally found Barnes, the paramedic took pains to show that he was not a police officer and was there only to tend to his injury.
For his troubles Barnes spat in Mr Robert’s face with enough force to temporarily blind him.
“He delivered enough saliva that I could taste what he had drunk, with enough force that I lost sight in one eye,” Mr Roberts told Cairns District Court.
“I have suffered the indignity and suffering of this disgusting act,” he said.
Mr Roberts told the court he suffered depression after the assault, had swung from “inconsolable misery and white hot anger,” and was “less inclined to approach patients on my own, waiting for backup to arrive.”
He spent nine months undergoing tests for diseases after the assault. In his parting words to the court, he called Barnes, who pleaded guilty to serious assault, a “scumbag.”
Brydie Bilic, defending, said her client had not yet apologised to the paramedic for his “deplorable act”.
“Kuranda is a small community. Word was received by my client’s family that Mr Roberts was particularly angry … any letter of apology would be seen to be insulting,” Ms Bilic said.
Judge Dean Morzone said: “This is not a system where people are supposed to fend for themselves.
“We now have a very damaged paramedic officer. They are putting themselves on the line in the service of the community.”
Mr Roberts sighed in frustration as Barnes was sentenced to 12 months in jail, to be served as an intensive community order, and ordered to pay $2000 in compensation.
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THE children of the Cairns Jewish Community have thanked Australian Defence Force members by delivering home baked honey cakes.
The Cairns based 51st regiment got a little treat on Sunday when the children whipped up the treats during their weekly Sunday kids program.
“It is our pleasure to thank the ADF for their service because they put their lives on the line for us,” said Rabbi Ari Rubin of Chabad Regional and Rural Australia in North Queensland.
“They serve our community with total dedication and caring. We wanted to show appreciation to the army.
“Sweet honey cake is the most visible food on the Rosh Hashanah holiday table,” said Elia Adler, one of the children who participated in the event.
“It expresses our prayerful wishes for a sweet new year. We worked so hard making the cakes and we wanted to give them to the dedicated men and women who work so hard helping us.”
Rosh Hashanah is Jewish New Year and will be celebrated from September 29-October 1.