William James Shannon pleads guilty to assaulting paramedic at Coffs Harbour

A Coffs Harbour man was self medicating with alcohol leading up to an assault during which he punched an ambulance and aimed blows at the back of a paramedic’s head.

William James Shannon was sentenced at Coffs Harbour Local Court.

A Coffs Harbour man was self medicating with alcohol in the lead up to a disturbing incident during which he punched an ambulance and aimed blows at the back of a paramedic’s head.

According to documents submitted to court an off duty police officer had to tackle the man to help bring him under control

William James Shannon was in Coffs Harbour Local Court on Tuesday charged with assaulting a frontline health worker (no actual bodily harm).

The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to the offence at the “first available opportunity” his lawyer Hugo Schleiger told the court.

Mr Schleiger went on to say that Shannon was experiencing a “situational crisis” at the time, suffering a knee injury and the death of his brother in the lead up to the incident on the afternoon of November 11 last year.

William Shannon (right) at Coffs Harbour court on February 7.

He spiralled into a pattern of self medicating with alcohol and has little memory of the assault, Mr Schleiger said.

A friend had taken Shannon to the hospital, concerned for his welfare, but when he arrived he pushed a paramedic in the chest and started throwing punches, aiming one to the back of the paramedic’s head.

At one stage he also punched an ambulance cutting his hand, causing it to bleed.

None of the punches connected and although he had little recollection of the incident he felt great remorse, Mr Schleiger told the court.

Shannon has some previous driving matters on his record but no convictions of personal violence.

He was convicted and sentenced to a 15-month community correction order.