Suspended jail sentence for drunk who assaulted paramedics

A 51-year-old man who assaulted two paramedics in Bath after hitting “rock bottom” with his alcohol problem has been given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay them compensation.

At his hearing at Bath Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 28th May, Leon Morrison gave his address as Gloucester House in Highworth, Swindon, which is a rehab centre where he has been staying since early December.

Prosecutor Jane Cooper said that paramedics Sarah Blackford and Joe Mason had been called on the evening of 2nd November 2024, after an off-duty nurse came across Morrison lying in Shophouse Road in Twerton.

He was said to be intoxicated, slurring his words and struggling to maintain his balance.

Morrison became violent and aggressive towards the emergency workers as they tried to help him.

Mr Mason was punched in the stomach and back, and Ms Blackford’s wrists were grabbed tightly. Morrison “sexualised” her in conversation and tried to grab her breast, but she was able to move away.

She left her shift early after the assault, which was the second time in a month that she had been assaulted while doing her job, said Ms Cooper.

At the Royal United Hospital that night, father-of-four Morrison was arrested by police.

He apparently had no recollection of what he had done, thinking he had gone to bed after eating a pizza, but woke up to find himself in custody.

He accepted full responsibility and admitted the charges of assaulting emergency workers by beating.

The court heard he had a number of previous convictions directly linked to alcohol and had been at “rock bottom” at the time of the assault on the paramedics. Since then, he has taken every possible step to turn his life around.

He was described by his defence solicitor as a “very different man to the one lying in an alcohol-induced stupor six months ago”.

Morrison detoxed while staying with his daughter, and then entered the rehab centre in Swindon in early December.

The court heard he would soon be moving to Emerge in Easton in Bristol, which is abstinence-based supported housing, for a 12-week recovery programme under a high level of supervision.

He hopes to help others through their “journey of abstinence”.

Magistrates imposed a 16-week sentence, eight weeks for each offence, to run consecutively, but suspended it for 18 months, telling Morrison that people should not have to go to work and put up with being assaulted.

He must pay £300 compensation to each paramedic and attend five rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days with the Probation Service.

Magistrates made no order for court costs, nor a victim surcharge.

An existing community order of which Morrison was in breach was revoked.