A DRUG ADDICT who assaulted and racially abused a paramedic trying to treat him has been spared jail.

Last November, a member of the public called 999 after finding Wesley Ogden, aged 27, of Plover Drive, Bury, collapsed lying next to a bottle of pills in the toilets of the Tesco supermarket, off Peel Way in Bury.

Malcolm Baulkwell, a paramedic who has been based at Ramsbottom Ambulance Station for 37 years, was first on the scene. He found Ogden lying unconscious on the floor and, as he began to treat him, Ogden woke up and ordered Mr Baulkwell to leave him alone.

Mr Baulkwell led Ogden outside of the supermarket, where he again protested. He then “took a swing” at Mr Baulkwell, prosecutor Dr Roger Woods told Bolton Crown Court on Monday.

Despite the assault, Mr Baulkwell continued to lead a dazed Ogden towards the ambulance. In an aggressive manner, Ogden then ordered him to let him go and called Mr Baulkwell a “little white honky”, the court heard.

Police were then called. Ogden was later arrested after leaving hospital.

The court heard how Ogden was suffering from depression and was addicted to heroin, for which he was taking methadone. He had a string of previous convictions for assault, criminal damage and drugs possession. Ogden said he had little recollection of the event.

Judge Kushner gave Ogden a three-month suspended sentence. If he commits another offence within two years, he will be sent to jail. He was also made subject to a 12-month supervision order. She decided not to imprison Ogden as he had shown progress with a supervision order in the last ten months and because he and his partner were expecting a child in October.

Judge Kushner said: “It’s fair to say, Mr Ogden, that you do have a surprising ability to charm other people and charm me, but it’s time for you to stop making promises and keep them. This behaviour has to stop.”

North West Ambulance Service area director Delwyn Wray said after the case: “This was an unacceptable act of violence on a defenceless ambulance worker. Our ambulance staff save lives on a daily basis and it is saddening that selfish individuals are subjecting them to violence and abuse.

“Last year in the Greater Manchester area alone there were 364 reports of verbal and physical assaults on staff. We simply will not tolerate this and we want to send out a very clear message to anyone who assaults our crews, either verbally or physically, that they face the very real possibility of prosecution.”