'Aggressive' Southsea man Paul Searle jailed after pulling out meat cleaver on two ambulance workers in Fareham

He verbally abused and committed an ‘extremely frightening’ assault on two ambulance workers who responded to an early hours call to a home in Fareham. After paramedics helped the 59-year-old, he became verbally abusive and violent, with the emergency workers having to retreat to their vehicle.

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Emma Cooper, who restrained Searle after he pulled her colleague Scott Bruce out of the ambulance, said in a statement at today’s sentencing: ‘It’s come as a great relief to finally have some closure. I am proud of the actions that I took that night to prevent it from becoming a different outcome. No-one in our line of work should have to face the possibility of not returning home to our families.

‘Paul Searle decided he was going to subject us to that ordeal, and even though it all happened in a short space of time, the lasting impact has been profound.

‘There are already too many reports of both physical and verbal abuse towards my fellow NHS colleagues, I really hope this case demonstrates that such behaviour will not be accepted nor tolerated.’

At roughly 3am on February 11, 2021, emergency workers were sent to Glenesha Gardens. Searle, of St David’s Road, Southsea, was allegedly having breathing difficulties. Emergency workers tried to help him but he launched a torrent of abuse which led to paramedics fleeing to safety.

Searle approached the vehicle wielding a meat cleaver. He grabbed Mr Bruce, dragged him out of the ambulance, and threatened to cut his ear off.

The emergency vehicle was reversing at the time – crashing into a parked car. Ms Cooper, in the passenger seat, radioed for help and got out of the ambulance to find Searle and Mr Bruce grappling on the pavement.

Ms Cooper assisted and helped to restrain him. Mr Bruce suffered a cut to the head from the cleaver – requiring stitches and physiotherapy – while Ms Cooper sustained a lump to the head.

Searle was arrested and charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and assault on an emergency worker. Following a three-day trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, Searle was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent on November 23.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker and threatening a person with a bladed article in a public place at an earlier hearing. He has now been jailed for seven years.

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His Honour Judge Cutler said it was an ‘extremely frightening attack’. He told court: ‘This country values its paramedics, we need them to do their jobs. The public supports them and the law will do what it can to protect them.’ Detective constable Carla-Marie Moore, who led the investigation, said: ‘Emergency workers dedicate their lives to helping people in their time of need and keeping the public safe.

‘An ambulance crew deployed that morning to help Mr Searle and provide him with medical support. He became aggressive, and subjected two paramedics to a frightening attack which left them both with injuries and suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I am grateful to the support from South Central Ambulance Service during this investigation and wish both victims well in their continued recovery.’