PARAMEDICS dealing with a violent drunk were interrupted by a traffic warden who made them move their ambulance, a court heard.

Joseph Mark Betteridge was sentenced at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court yesterday (Tuesday, May 26) for assaulting two paramedics and a police officer attempting to help him.

The intoxicated 42-year-old had passed out in a taxi at Darlington’s market square and attacked the emergency workers after waking to find them treating him.

As the trio attempted to control the situation and treat an abusive and aggressive Betteridge they were approached by a traffic warden who told them to move their ambulance.

One paramedic left the escalating situation to move the vehicle and returned to see the female police officer being attacked, prosecutor Rachael Dodsworth told the court.

A statement from the paramedic said: “I was checking blood sugar while [my colleague] got hold of the man’s hand – he pulled away and told us to f*** off – he smelled strongly of alcohol.

“A police officer arrived and attempted to speak to him then a traffic warden approached and asked us to move the ambulance as it was causing problems with traffic.”

A statement from the assaulted police officer was also referred to, with Ms Dodsworth telling the court Betteridge had delivered a number of blows to her upper body and arm before the paramedic who left the scene returned to help.

A spokeswoman for Darlington Borough Council said: “That suggestion would not have been made if the person involved in the incident was being treated by the ambulance crew or was acting in a way that suggested that they were going to get aggressive.

“It appeared the individual was talking to the police and other ambulance crew member so the suggestion was made to move the vehicle, and it was for the ambulance crew to determine whether it would be safe to do so. “

A spokeswoman for the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) today condemned Betteridge’s actions and urged people to use their discretion when approaching ambulance crews, “given the nature of the emergencies they attend every day”.

In relation to Betteridge, she added: “We have a workforce of people dedicated to saving and protecting the lives of people in our community and it is not acceptable that they have to experience any kind of abuse whilst at work.”