By Lewis McBlane

Copyright grampianonline

A man has avoided being jailed for assaulting a paramedic after being revived from an overdose at Elgin McDonald’s.

Sammy Townsley was sentenced for grabbing a female paramedic and pinning her against the wall of an ambulance, and cannabis possession, at Elgin Sheriff Court.

The court heard that on the evening of June 7, 2024, an ambulance had been called for the 34-year-old who was “asleep and unresponsive” at the fast food restaurant.

A male and female paramedic attended the scene, fiscal depute Coakley said, and found that the man needed treatment at Dr Gray’s Hospital.

But the situation changed as the ambulance containing Townsley was waiting to enter Dr Gray’s Hospital.

“While waiting for entry to Dr Gray’s, the accused was seated on the trolley within the ambulance,” Ms Coakley said.

When the man woke up, he grabbed the female paramedic who was treating him “by the right arm and pinned her by her shoulders against the metal wall of the ambulance,” the fiscal depute added.

However, the male paramedic eventually managed to force Townsley to leave the ambulance, heading in the direction of West Road, Elgin.

After police were notified, they quickly found, cautioned and charged the 34-year-old who made no reply.

The court heard that the female paramedic suffered a “bruise to her arm” but was able to continue her duties that night.

Solicitor Stephen Carty said his client faced significant struggles with drug addiction and referred to a report stating he had been taking “30 to 40 valium tablets per day” at the time of the incident.

He also said Townsley “appreciates the severity” of his actions, “apologises unreservedly to the paramedics involved” and has been engaging in addiction support services.

“The police received a concern report, that he was asleep and unresponsive at a local fast food restaurant,” Mr Carty added.

“He was given an injection of naloxone.

“The next thing that Mr Townsley can bring to mind, he recalls coming to and panicking whilst being dealt with by the paramedics.

“It is at that stage, when he comes round, that this incident takes place.

“It’s not an excuse – Mr Townsley elected and chose to take those drugs and he is responsible for the consequences.”

The solicitor told the court that Townsley suffers with mental health difficulties and was “self-medicating in entirely the wrong way”.

However, the incident seemed to have been “a significant wake up call”, which has led to “significant progress in terms of his addiction issues”.

“The presentation of Mr Townsley, over the past weeks and months, is significantly better than in the past number of years.

He asked the court to give some credit to Mr Townsley for “how he has contacted himself, and significant he has steps taken in dealing with that drug problem”.

Sheriff Thomas McCartney ordered Townsley, of Millar Street, Elgin, to complete 180 hours of unpaid work within 12 months as an alternative to custody.

He was also sentenced to 18 months of social work supervision.