Three-month sentence for drunk teen who attacked paramedic

Appeal: Jordan McLester A TEENAGER who became unconscious after downing a bottle of Sambuca liqueur and 12 tablets came round in an ambulance taking him to hospital and punched to the head a paramedic who was treating him.

Jordan McLester (18), whose address was given as the Simon Community, Mount Street Mews, Coleraine, then wrestled with the man on the floor and spat at him.

At Coleraine Magistrates Court yesterday he was given a three-month jail term, but bail of £300 was fixed for an appeal.

The paramedic was left with injuries to his head and ribs, along with bruising, and had to take time off work.

McLester had previously pleaded guilty to the charges of assaulting an ambulance worker, disorderly behaviour at the hospital, resisting police, assaulting two officers and causing criminal damage to a police cell.

A prosecutor told the court that on August 24 police were called to the hospital to assist staff after an ambulance picked up the intoxicated, unconscious McLester at Mount Street. He came round, punching the paramedic and struggling with him in the moving vehicle.

At hospital the defendant locked himself in a disabled toilet, shouted and swore, and headbutted a wall.

He was asked to calm down but continued to be disorderly when he came out.

When McLester saw police officers, he ran off and, in the middle of a road, lashed out, kicking and punching, and was verbally abusive to police. One officer was struck on the leg and another on the arm, but they were uninjured.

Hospital staff refused to treat McLester due to his behaviour. He was taken to a police cell where he spat blood and saliva, which cost £120 to clean.

Defence solicitor John Murphy said his client wrote a letter of apology to ambulance staff, and added that he was ashamed, his actions had been “totally out of character”, and he “appreciates how difficult it is for ambulance personnel”.