Michael Kevin Swift granted bail in Bundaberg Magistrates Court

A man who lost his job because of the Covid-19 pandemic drank a bottle of gin before punching paramedics and pinching their ambulance at the weekend, a court has heard. VIDEO.

A 56-year-old former poker machine repairman had downed a bottle of gin before allegedly assaulting two ambulance officers and stealing their vehicle at the weekend, a court has heard.

Michael Kevin Swift appeared in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday, where he was granted bail on five charges on the condition he does not drink alcohol and may be breath tested by police at any time.

Swift faces two charges of serious assault of an officer performing a function, two counts of unlawful damage and one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Police allege that on Saturday night, Swift had been treated by paramedics at Buxton near Bundaberg and was a patient in an ambulance before he lashed out, punching a male officer in the head and throwing an object at the female driver.

The incident caused the pair of paramedics to abandon their vehicle and seek the help of police, while Swift allegedly drove off to a nearby road where he was apprehended.

Appearing by video link from the Bundaberg Watch House, Swift sported salt and pepper hair, a grey beard and moustache and glasses.

Swift’s lawyer Matt Maloy said his client had a clean record spanning decades and termed his offending as “out of character”.

It was heard that Swift, from Hervey Bay, had been employed as a poker machine repairman before he lost his business in the Covid-19 pandemic, which had led to concerns around his mental health.

The court heard Swift had received a head injury in the alleged events of Saturday night.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie set a date of May 9 for Swift’s next court appearance.