‘Chokehold medic’ accused of lies in guilty plea U-turn
A HSE paramedic on trial for allegedly putting two women in chokeholds during a first aid class has been accused of telling ‘a mixture of plain nonsense, halftruths and lies’ in trying to retract his guilty plea.
Andrew Long is charged with assaulting two of his students.
He is accused of placing both of the women, one of whom was seven months pregnant, in chokeholds five years ago. The woman who was not pregnant fell unconscious after his manoeuvre, Ennis Circuit Court in Co. Clare has already heard.
Yesterday, Mr Long, 35, formally applyed to change his plea to ‘not guilty’ having previously entered a guilty plea on the third day of his trial last March to assaulting the two first aid students. Mr Long is facing a jail term of up to five years after pleading guilty to the assault of Mary Nihill.
Ms Nihill was unconscious after he knocked her out with his chokehold.
The second alleged victim, mother-of-three Elise McMahon, also attended the course the same night and was seven months pregnant at the time.
He has claimed that he pleaded guilty under duress from his former solicitor.
However, yesterday, prosecutor Philip Rahn told him that he has told ‘a mixture of plain nonsense, half-truths and lies’ in seeking to change his plea.
Mr Rahn told Mr Long: ‘I have to suggest to you that you pleaded guilty because you are guilty.’
In response, Mr Long said: ‘I’m not guilty.’ Mr Rahn told him: ‘You reached a point where the road had run out for you and you were advised how the trial had run.
‘You pleaded guilty to try to avoid going into custody after a guilty verdict had been returned and you didn’t want to take the risk.’
Mr Long told the court yesterday that last March he was ill at the thought of entering his guilty plea. He said: ‘I thought I was going to vomit – that is why I paused [when pleading guilty].’
Asked why he thought he was going to vomit, Mr Long said: ‘At the thought of pleading guilty to something I didn’t do.’
In an affidavit read out in court, Mr Long said that in the consultation room with his former legal team prior to pleading guilty, he said: ‘My brain is Swiss cheese, lads – you are asking me to go to jail for something I didn’t do.’
He said that he told his mother in the consultation room: ‘I did nothing wrong. I’m not guilty. I shouldn’t have to plead guilty.’
Mr Long, of Carraig Dubh, Tobertaosceain, Ennis, said his mother and partner were crying.
His claims of duress are denied by his former solicitor in the case, William Cahir. Counsel for Mr Cahir, Michael Collins SC, told Mr Long that the defendant phoned Mr Cahir at 9.15am on the morning of the case and told Mr Cahir that he was thinking of pleading guilty.
Judge Gerald Keys is to give a ruling at a later date on the application. Mr Long remains on bail.
‘My brain is Swiss cheese, lads’