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More on KentOnline
Less than a week after getting out of prison a homeless serial crook was back behind bars after 'inadvertently' stealing a paramedics bag, attacking four emergency workers and staging a dirty protest at a police station.
The "highly unpleasant series of events" began when habitual burglar Adrian Edwards was released from HMP Elmley on Friday and was given £47 to help him get his life back on track.
He spent £15 on a taxi to the nearest station and when he got back to Medway found the tent he'd been living in had been taken.
Having slept rough over the weekend he picked up his prescription medication last Monday and decided to take it all at once, explained defence solicitor Derek Hayward at Medway Magistrates' Court last Wednesday as his client watched on via the video link.
Soon Edwards, 43, was on his way to Medway Maritime Hospital in the back of an ambulance.
Mr Hayward explained when his client came round he became agitated as he could not find his trainers, which he'd just bought and were in a black bag.
In his confused state he went into the front of the ambulance, which had stopped outside the hospital in Windmill Road, Gillingham, and while the paramedics were distracted took a bag from between the seats which he thought was his.
The court was told Edwards would later return the bag to hospital staff but was then tracked down by the paramedics who confronted him about the theft.
It was during this face-off that he whipped them with a phone charger.
He was arrested and taken back to hospital where he proceeded to spit at staff and all over a room, which had to be deep cleaned. Two police officers were also attacked.
When Edwards was taken to Medway Police Station he decided to stage a 'dirty protest' in his cell, wiping human waste across the room which also had to be deep cleaned.
"Our staff come to work to help and assist people in their hour of need, they should not be subjected to such terrible abuse..." Will Bellamy, operating unit manager for the ambulance service
Mr Hayward told the court: "While this was clearly a highly unpleasant series of events you can perhaps understand why he became so upset having returned the bag when he realised it wasn't his."
He added that Edwards, who is on licence for burglary until late next year, was keen to return to prison to continue his rehabilitation.
Edwards, of no fixed address, admitted two counts of criminal damage, four counts of assaulting emergency workers and theft and told magistrates he "didn't want any credit" for his early pleas.
He was jailed for a total of 12 months and ordered to pay £50 compensation to each police officer.
Chief Inspector Rob Marsh, Kent Police’s District Commander for Medway, said: ‘The levels of abuse Edwards displayed against four members of the emergency services is entirely reprehensible and it is pleasing that the courts have taken such quick action to ensure justice is carried out.
"Edwards’ actions meant the ambulance crews may have been prevented from helping someone experiencing a genuine emergency while the assaults against the police officers were thoroughly degrading.
"I commend my officers for the professionalism they showed while dealing with this offender and I hope his immediate imprisonment sends out a strong message that this behaviour cannot be accepted."
Operating unit manager for the ambulance service for Medway and north Kent, Will Bellamy, said: "It is sad to think that people feel that it is acceptable to treated emergency workers in this way.
"Our staff come to work to help and assist people in their hour of need, they should not be subjected to such terrible abuse.
"We hope the outcome of this case sends out a strong message to people that we will not tolerate abuse of our staff in this way and will look to seek appropriate recourse."
