Drunken man faked his need for help

A drunken Perth man was taken by ambulance to PRI after he“slumped unconscious”in the back of a police van.

Benjamin Wright, 36, was “unresponsive”and paramedics thought he might have suffered an asthma attack.

When he got to the busy A&E Department, he was given priority over three children waiting to be seen.

But when a staff nurse asked police to remove his handcuffs to be assessed, Wright “began laughing uncontrollably”- and said he had managed to“fool”the police, paramedics and also the nurse.

The accused’s behaviour was condemned by Sheriff William Wood when he appeared for a Community Payback Order review at Perth Sheriff Court.

Wright, of Viewfield Place, had been ordered to complete 270 hours of unpaid work as a“direct alternative”to a jail term.

An 18-month supervision order was also imposed after he was arrested for punching the window of a taxi in Perth’s Woodside Crescent on March 14.

Early the following morning, he pretended to paramedic Adam Longhorn at Perth police headquarters that he required medical attention, depriving others of the health professional’s services.

Wright also pled guilty to a similar charge by pretending to staff nurse Katrina Duncan at PRI that he was ill, preventing her from assessing others who were awaiting treatment.

Depute fiscal Nicola Gillespie said Wright had fallen asleep in the taxi.

When he was wakened up and asked for the fare, he got out of the cab and shouted:“What are you going to do about it?”

The accused then punched the car window and he was taken to police headquarters.

Shortly afterwards, he appeared to lose consciousness and was put in the recovery position.

Paramedics were concerned about his “bizarre behaviour”and he was taken to A&E for further examination.

Ms Gillespie said the cost of the ambulance call-out was estimated at £250 but that didn’t include the work carried out by the staff nurse.

The department was busy that morning and three children were waiting to be checked over.

Solicitor Billy Somerville said:“He now realises the consequences of his actions.

“Alcohol is a continuing problem and he now realises he needs further assistance.”

After hearing that Wright had completed 53 hours of unpaid work so far, Sheriff Wood called for a review of his progress on January 3.

Wright also had his sentence deferred until that date on a further charge of shouting and swearing outside the Playhouse cinema in Perth’s Murray Street on February 24.