Jail for urinating on ambulance kit and putting vehicle out of use

Paramedics could not respond to emergency calls for hours after Paul Farren destroyed their kit

A man has been jailed for urinating on ambulance equipment, putting the vehicle out of action for hours.

Paul Farren, 33, of Duncreggan Road in Londonderry, admitted disorderly behaviour and criminal damage charges over the incident last December.

The damage is estimated to have cost the ambulance service £1,000.

On Friday Londonderry Magistrates' Court heard that the police were called to help paramedics who were treating a man who had become aggressive.

Farren was "verbally abusive" towards the ambulance staff before urinating on the equipment on 16 December, the judge was told.

Some of the equipment could be sterilised but other parts were destroyed.

The ambulance had to be taken out of service for several hours to be cleaned, meaning its crew could not respond to emergency calls.

A defence barrister said Farren had issues with alcohol and that "in sobriety" he had expressed remorse for his actions.

The judge sentenced Farren to six months in prison.