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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Joe Thomas

Nan punched paramedic in the face while 'ten out of ten' drunk

A drunken nan punched a paramedic in the face and called her a “t***” after a passerby dialled 999 fearing she had suffered a heart attack.

Donna Williams had to be restrained by police as she threatened to further hit the woman called to potentially save her life.

It was the latest shameful attack carried out by a 54-year-old who has repeatedly lashed out at emergency service staff and issued bomb threats to the police.

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Fearing Williams was suffering a cardiac arrest, a member of the public called 999 and requested help after seeing her slumped against a bench on Oliver Street in Birkenhead in the early hours of November 28.

Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, said a female paramedic attended and approached Williams in order to help her.

She said: “The female struck out at the paramedic, punching her to the face. She was being aggressive, saying ‘let’s have it’ and calling her a ‘t***.”

Donna Williams, 54 and of Fieldway Court in Birkenhead, was jailed for breach of a suspended sentence and assaulting an emergency worker. Image: Merseyside Police (Liverpool ECHO)

Police were called and officers restrained Williams, who appeared to be preparing to launch further blows, before arresting her.

When interviewed, Williams said she had no recollection of her attack and described herself as being at ‘10’ on a scale of drunkenness.

Ms Mottram added: “She did say that she was sorry for what had taken place.”

In an emotional victim impact statement, the paramedic described the attack as having left her in fear she may be assaulted again.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Williams had repeatedly been in trouble for attacking emergency service workers - typically police officers - behaving in a drunk and disorderly manner and for false communication offences.

Williams, of Fieldway Court in Birkenhead, was last in court in June when she was handed a 16 month suspended sentence for telling a police call handler: "You are getting bombed."

Her catalogue of crimes included being jailed for 13 months after threatening to cut a rail worker with a broken bottle in West Kirby station.

As well as the November attack on the paramedic, Williams fell to be sentenced today for breaching her suspended sentence order by failing to attend two rehabilitation sessions.

That order had been set by Judge David Swinnerton who, at the time, told the defendant: "You are in last chance saloon."

Judge Swinnerton presided over today’s hearing, where he heard John Wheate, defending, describe his client as being unable to overcome significant “demons”.

Mr Wheate said: “I know, as the defendant knows, that your honour has made every effort to assist the defendant through the process that she is now at.”

He continued: “Her record shows the demons that are within Donna Williams and which have been within her for many, many years are demons that she has not dealt with and are demons she is unable to deal with either over the last few years or at this present time.”

Mr Wheate said his client appeared to work well when surrounded by support - pointing to her completion of all but a few hours of 150 hours of unpaid work set by the judge when she last appeared in court.

However, he added: “When she goes home at night and starts drinking alcohol everything comes flooding back. She loses her self control and I cannot suggest that some of the things she says or does are not serious.”

Donna Williams received a suspended sentence after telling police 'you're getting bombed' (Lynda Roughley)

Judge Swinnerton told Williams: “In many ways you are your own worst enemy. You possibly realise that but you appear, at the moment, unable to help yourself or take the opportunities of help offered by others.”

Williams, who admitted breaching a suspended sentence and assaulting an emergency worker, was sentenced to 14 months in jail.

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