Paramedic's suspended sentence leaves victim's son disgusted

Mark Titley was caught taking the cash on a CCTV camera

The suspended sentence given to a paramedic who stole money from an elderly woman who he had been sent to help has left her son "disgusted".

Mark Titley, 58, was given an 18-week suspended jail sentence after admitting taking about £60 from a box in Barbara Drage's Shrewsbury home in June 2022.

The 94-year-old had collapsed in her garden and later died.

Her son Michael said Titley had faced "virtually" no consequences, which "sickens me to my stomach".

Michael Drage said the NHS was an organisation "that we rely on and we trust"

Four paramedics were called to the property to treat the "much-loved" great-grandmother on 29 June 2022.

Despite their efforts, Mrs Drage later died.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard Titley had searched her home, which he claimed was an attempt to find a do not resuscitate form.

However, footage from CCTV in Mrs Drage's living room showed him putting money he found into his pocket, before he spotted the camera and put it back.

He was handed an 18-week suspended jail sentence and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £530 as well as a £187 victim surcharge.

Mrs Drage had collapsed in her garden and Titley was one of four paramedics sent to help her

Mr Drage said he felt the sentence was too lenient.

"He is not the same as other people," he said.

He said the NHS was "an organisation that we rely on and we trust" and he was disappointed someone who worked for it had done such a thing.

However, he added that while he was "sickened and disgusted", he was of the opinion that there was "a bad apple everywhere and he is this bad apple".

West Midlands Ambulance Service said Titley was removed from operations as soon as the trust was made aware of the police investigation.

A representative added that the paramedic's actions "put a stain on all of our reputations".

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