The emergency workers were in the back of an ambulance with Rudy Bojang when he accused one of them of stealing his post office card and then pushed them both forcefully in the chest.
Jailing Bojang, of Rowena Close, Derby, for 28 weeks, Judge Mark Rogers said: “Paramedics have a very unenviable task in many ways and they must be protected.”
Derby Crown Court heard the 38-year-old had 16 previous convictions for being drunk and disorderly.
Judge Rogers said: “In the last 10 years or so, you have frequently been before the court. The majority of the offending, if not all, I suspect is either directly drink-related or has drink as its background.”
Bojang committed his most recent offences on October 2, after an ambulance was called to the city centre because members of the public had been concerned after seeing Bojang pushed over and hitting his head on the ground.
The paramedics discovered he had a bump on his head and got him into the back of the ambulance.
“It was apparent to them that he was intoxicated – he was slurring his words,” said Stephen Kemp, prosecuting.
The paramedics had asked him if he had any ID so they could establish who he was and he started searching his pockets. He then accused one of them of stealing his post office card.
They tried to calm him down but he continued to be threatening – shouting and swearing – and so they asked him to leave. He refused to do so until he had his card back. As one of the paramedics went to open the rear doors of the ambulance, Bojang pushed him with both hands on his chest. “It appeared he was trying to push him out of the door,” said Mr Kemp.
The pair had then managed to restrain him until the police arrived but as they were taking him out of the ambulance, he pushed the other paramedic to his chest “with some force“, causing bruising.
Bojang admitted two offences of assault by beating and one of criminal damage, where he caused damage to his partner’s greenhouse and hanging baskets on September 22.
Dan Church, in mitigation, said: “He was born in The Gambia and came to the UK in 2001 and has indefinite leave to remain. He has an unenviable record but he’s more a nuisance than a violent man. He’s a man who drinks too much. Clearly the pattern is drinking through the day and going out at night and committing offences.”
Following the case, a spokesman for EMAS said: “It’s very sad that our frontline staff were treated so badly, especially as they were only trying to help. We take such acts very seriously and work with police colleagues and the Crown Prosecution Service to secure convictions wherever possible.”
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