How was the service?
Paramedic’s text to patient he had sex with after she rang 999
A PARAMEDIC had sex with a vulnerable patient before tex - ting her: ‘This is your friendly ambulance service, how was your service?’
Trevor Finnerty, who worked for West Midlands Ambulance Service, went to the woman’s home alone in January 2017 after she dialled 999.
He claimed she came downstairs in a backless nightie and suggested they go upstairs, where they per - formed a sex act on each other.
Finnerty later admitted he found the encounter ‘erotic’, but claimed he was blackmailed into having sex by the patient, who has severe mental health issues. A disciplinary panel found his story ‘unconvincing’ and married Finnerty, who had 30 years’ experience as a paramedic, has now been banned from the profession by the Health and Care Professions Tribunals Service.
Finnerty, who is based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, recorded that the woman had ‘ bipolar disorder plus anxiety’ during the visit but made no mention of having sex. After leaving her home, he sent a text that read: ‘This is u friendly ambulance service, how was u service [sic].’ The panel heard the patient was ‘troubled’ by the mes - sage and called police. Finnerty was later arrested on suspicion of rape but never charged.
He told detectives the woman had invited him into her bedroom, but when he refused she threatened to tell his manager. Finnerty told his bosses he must ‘take the brunt of the blame’ but he said the patient had effectively ‘ duped’ him and suggested he was ‘a victim of rape’.
Finnerty, who quit his job in F ebruary 2017, told the panel he had now undergone counselling.