Woman who left abusive note on ambulance admits public order offence

A 26-year-old woman has been fined £120 after admitting swearing at paramedics and leaving a foul-mouthed note on their ambulance.

Kirsty Sharman pleaded guilty to a public order offence after the incident in which the crew had been responding to a 999 call from her neighbour in Stoke-on-Trent.

Sharman, of Parsonage Street, appeared before Staffordshire magistrates in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Tuesday.

She admitted writing the note, in which she said she “couldn’t give a shit” if the whole street collapsed, and verbally abusing paramedics.

Sentencing, the magistrate Christopher Rushton told her: “This was an absolutely despicable incident.

“The fact it was directed at an ambulance crew providing a public service to a sick person. That crew should not be subject to actions such as these.”

The ambulance had been responding to a neighbour’s emergency call to assist his wife, who was “experiencing breathing difficulties”, the prosecutor Liz Ryder told magistrates.

She added there had been ongoing difficulties between Sharman and her neighbours leading to a restraining order being issued against Sharman in January.

Ryder said: “Throughout the course of the ambulance being parked, a note was left on the window of the ambulance.

“A neighbour saw that note being deposited by the defendant and they took it from the rear windscreen and posted it back through the defendant’s address, having torn it apart.”

She added the paramedics were later made aware of the note. Sharman also went into the street and abused a paramedic, saying: “Move your fucking van.”

Ryder added: “Clearly she accepts she was in a public place and her behaviour and language was disorderly and inappropriate in the circumstances.”

In court, Sharman offered her “most sincere apologies to the ambulance staff” though her solicitor, Hayley Keegan.

The lawyer added: “She accepts the behaviour was completely unacceptable.”

Sharman was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and £135 costs, while a separate charge of breaching a restraining order was withdrawn by the prosecution.

She was charged after a social media plea by West Midlands ambulance service staff.

Katie Tudor, a paramedic mentor, tweeted a picture of the note, copying in the police.