‘Aids’ man sprayed gore at 999 staff

A MAN assaulted paramedics and spat at them while claiming to have Aids after they were called to a hotel where he had attempted to take his own life.

Joshua Morrissey, 25, also punched a male paramedic and kicked a bowl of blood over a female paramedic’s face after they attended the Mount Rooms Hotel in Barry on July 16 last year.

The defendant had taken a drug overdose, drunk a bottle of rum, and had cut his arm, but when the paramedics attempted to help him he smacked his arm so blood splattered over them.

He was also verbally abusive and told them to “f*** off” and spat at them after telling them he had Aids.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday also heard the paramedics had to have injections and boosters as a result of the incident.

Prosecutor Tabitha Walker said the manager of the Mount Rooms Hotel, Sarah Lewis, received a call from Morrissey’s friend asking for her to check on him. She did so and had no concerns. But at 7.41am the paramedics responded to a 999 call and were taken to the defendant’s room.

Ms Walker said Morrissey opened the door and was aggressive towards the paramedics. He had open wounds that were bleeding heavily. He closed the door, but when they regained entry he began hitting the wound, causing blood to shower over the paramedics.

The prosecutor added: “He punched [the male paramedic} to his right arm, causing more blood to get in contact with him.

“While waiting for the police to arrive he continued to be verbally aggressive, shouted he had Aids, and spat at [the paramedics].”

The police arrived and Morrissey was arrested and taken to the University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff.

While lying on an ambulance stretcher he suddenly kicked a vomit bowl containing blood, which landed on the famale paramedic’s face and left her feeling sick.

In his police interview Morrissey said he could not remember hitting the male paramedic or his own arm and said he had not meant to harm anyone apart from himself.

The defendant, of Clive Street, Grangetown, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage. He also pleaded guilty to to breaching a restraining order after messaging his former partner, Jamie Lee Barnett, via Facebook.

In mitigation Andrew Shanahan said his client had wished to personally apologise tothe paramedics.

Following the incident the defendant spent two weeks in hospital under the Mental Health Act. The barrister said the defendant’s behaviour should be seen within the context of him suffering “a severe mental health crisis”.

Sentencing, Recorder Bilal Siddique said: “[The paramedics] were doing their best to help you and you threatened them with Aids.”

Morrissey was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment suspended for 18 months. He was ordered to carry out a community order and to pay £260 compensation.