A 51 year old man has been handed a year’s driving ban, fined £2,000 and sentenced to a 12-month Community Order after admitting to dangerously tailgating an ambulance.
Dennis Burgess from Stockport pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after being reported by an EMAS technician for tailgating the vehicle and driving dangerously behind it. CCTV from the back of the vehicle captured his behaviour and gave police important evidence to enable them to prosecute Burgess.
Burgess appeared at Manchester Crown Court on 30 September 2022 and was sentenced to:
- A 12-month Community Order
- To complete 80 hours of unpaid work
- Rehabilitation activity requirements for seven days
- Disqualification from driving for 12 months and must pass an extended test before his licence is returned
- He was also fined £2000 and must pay costs of £595.
George Reid, Lead Security Management Specialist at EMAS, said:
“We do not tolerate any level of abuse, threat or assault against our staff, and that includes driving dangerously and putting the lives of our ambulance staff and patients at risk.
“Thankfully, the behaviour demonstrated by this individual is rare, but if and when people do choose to behave in this manner, our Crime and Security Management team will work with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure the defendant receives the appropriate punishment.”
At EMAS, we continue to support the #WorkWithoutFear campaign to help highlight the impact abuse has on NHS ambulance staff and to help prevent and reduce violence against them.