A paramedic stole thousands of pounds worth of defibrillators from North West Ambulance Service.
Scott Sutherland, 47, today appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court accused of helping himself to the expensive life saving equipment.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and two counts of burglary after raiding supplies at ambulance stations across the region, including depots in Kirkby and Runcorn.
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The ECHO understands Sutherland was employed by North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) for nearly 25 years.
The court heard one of the charges of theft stated that he stole two Lifepak 1000 defibrillators belonging to NWAS between April 21, 2017 and August 21, 2018.
A burglary charge specified that he then burgled Runcorn Ambulance Station, when he entered a garage at the site next to Halton General Hospital in Palacefields as a trespasser and stole two Lifepak 15 defibrillators, on February 11, 2020.
Another charge of burglary stated that on the same day he entered a store room at Kirkby Ambulance Station in Webster Drive as a trespasser and stole a charging station for Lifepak 15 defibrillators.
The court heard he also stole a further Lifepak 15 defibrillator belonging to the service, again on February 11, 2020.
Sutherland, of Pearse Gardens, Modbury, Ivybridge, near Plymouth in Devon, appeared in court wearing a suit and tie, and carrying a large rucksack.
He spoke only to enter his guilty pleas during the short hearing.
Martine Snowdon, defending, requested an adjournment for a psychological report and a pre-sentence report on behalf of her client.
She said: "He's quite realistic about the likely outcome of these proceedings but his wife, who resides in Plymouth, is expecting their fifth child on October 4. Any adjournment for a psychiatric report would likely take us past that anyway. The other children are 10 and younger.
"My application is for the court to adjourn for sufficient time to allow him to be present in the family unit for some weeks, following the birth of that child."
Judge Anil Murray agreed to the reports and adjourned Sutherland's sentencing until November 12.
The judge further remanded Sutherland on unconditional bail and warned: "I'm making you no promises by adjourning the case for reports.
"It looks to me as if this is going to have to be a sentence of immediate imprisonment but the judge on the day will decide that when they have read all the relevant information and listened to submissions."
A North West Ambulance Service spokesperson confirmed Sutherland was no longer employed by the service.
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