Leominster man jailed for punching on-duty paramedic
A man has been jailed for punching an on-duty paramedic in the face.
William Stevens, 45, from Leominster, Herefordshire, attacked on 1 December when emergency services attended the block of flats where he lived. They were responding to an unrelated call over concerns for the safety of a resident in another apartment. Stevens was convicted of assaulting an emergency worker and handed a 26-week prison sentence - with a further four weeks for racial abuse. That offence was directed at a detention officer while in police custody, to which he had pleaded guilty. Police said while officers and paramedics attended the apartment block, Stevens grabbed an ambulance worker by the throat before punching them. Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer Nathan Hudson said: "What is particularly appalling is that the paramedic was there to help a patient in need but got attacked while trying to do so." During a sentencing hearing at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on 1 May, Stevens was also given a two-week prison sentence to run concurrently, having admitted criminal damage. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk