Southsea menace attacked paramedics with meat cleaver and caused ambulance crash while threatening to cut victim's ear off in Fareham

Paramedics were dispatched to an address in Glenesha Gardens around 3am on February 11, 2021, to treat 59-year-old Paul Searle, of Southsea, who was apparently suffering breathing problems. But despite the emergency workers trying to help Searle, he became aggressive and verbally abusive – forcing them to make a hasty departure from the address and return to the safety of the ambulance.

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Portsmouth Crown Court heard how Searle then approached the ambulance armed with a meat cleaver and pulled the driver out of the vehicle whist threatening to cut his ear off. In their desperation to escape Searle, the reversing ambulance crashed into a parked car.

The second paramedic, who had been in the passenger seat, then radioed for assistance and got out of the ambulance to find her colleague grappling on the pavement with Searle, before she assisted in restraining him. As a result of this incident, the ambulance driver suffered a cut to his hand from the meat cleaver which required stitches, while his colleague sustained a lump to her head.

Searle, of St David’s Road, was subsequently arrested and charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and assault on an emergency worker. Following a three day trial, Searle was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker at an earlier hearing.

Searle was remanded in custody to appear at the same court for sentencing on December 16.