Paramedic jailed for sex assault on teen

By: JON WELCH

A paramedic was jailed today for sexually assaulting a teenage woman as she lay in a state of near-paralysis in the back of an ambulance.

Iain Finney, 33, removed the 19-year-old's breasts from her bra and pulled down her underwear before taking pictures of her on his mobile phone, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Although the woman, whose identity is protected under law, had been virtually unable to move she was aware of what was happening and complained to a nurse when she reached hospital.

Finney, who worked for the East of England Ambulance Trust, had been responding to an emergency call to Mercy nightclub in Prince of Wales, Norwich, on April 5 last year.

The teenager, who had been out with friends, had consumed a “fairly large amount” of alcohol. She was then sick and collapsed in the venue's toilets, having sent a text message to a friend saying she suspected her drink had been spiked, the court heard.

Finney, of Blackthorn Drive, Scarning, near Dereham, had earlier told a colleague that he hoped the patient they had been called to see would be “some good-looking girl”, it was claimed.

Finney was alone in the back of ambulance with the teenager, from King's Lynn, when the assault took place.

In police statements she told how Finney had removed her breasts from her bra and touched both nipples. She then heard five or six clicks, which she recognised as the noise of a mobile phone camera.

She then felt her knickers and tights being lowered, and heard further noises of a camera clicking.

A DNA examination found traces of Finney's saliva on her breasts. Finney had explained this by saying he had been performing a recognised medical test on the patient by touching her nipples with his pen, which he had chewed.

Finney, who was suspended in November from practising as a paramedic, admitted sexual assault and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The court heard he had disposed of his mobile phone and had instead handed in his wife Donna's phone to ambulance bosses. She was subsequently cautioned for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

In mitigation, Matthew Gowen said Finney had worked as a paramedic for 10 years, had an unblemished record and was spoken of highly by colleagues.

He said that in the months leading up to the offence, Finney had been unhappy at work, having been given greater responsibility.

“He was under great professional stress because of the working environment and because of the things that paramedics see and have to cope with on a daily basis.

“The combination of that and his general unhappiness led him to do something entirely out of character. Whatever the rationale behind it he accepts that on that night there was the gravest breach of trust.”

Mr Gowen added that the assault had not been pre-meditated and had involved not genital contact.

Recorder Guy Ayers gave Finney credit for his guilty pleas but told Finney the woman's incapacitated state and his breach of trust were “highly significant” aggravating factors.

“I accept you are thoroughly ashamed of what you did and the effect it had on your family and your victim. It has had a significant impact on that young woman who now needs counselling to deal with what has happened.”

Sentencing Finney to a total of nine months in jail, and placing him on the sex offenders' register for 10 years, the judge added: “It had to be immediate because members of the public who put themselves into the care of paramedics and medical practitioners must be able to trust them.”