A man who falsely imprisoned and assaulted ambulance staff has been jailed for 3½ years.
At Mullingar Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Anthony Hunt said people who went to work on the front line were entitled to look to the courts for protection, highlighting that emergency staff could not refuse to deal with a patient.
The judge jailed Paul Greene (48), Sarsfield Square, Athlone, who had produced a knife when two paramedics answered a call on April 18th, 2010, from his brother Martin Greene, who was suffering aches and pains.
Det Garda Sgt Eamon Curley said that when they began to assist Mr Greene, his brother shouted at them and demanded they give the medication to him.
He pushed the female paramedic, who was 14 weeks pregnant, and, despite being asked not to interfere with their work, he continued to be aggressive, blocking their path as they tried to leave and threatening them with a knife.
They escaped as the brothers got into a physical struggle, during which Paul Greene stabbed Martin, leaving him with a one-inch laceration to his face.
Greene has 51 previous convictions and is a chronic alcoholic.