Grant Spice sentenced for intimidating Parkes paramedics

A man with COVID symptoms refused to wear a mask and unleashed a filthy tirade on two medics trying to help after he suffered a medical episode.

Parkes man Grant Spice screamed at paramedics after being asked to wear a mask. Pictire: Grant Spice/Facebook

A man has narrowly avoided a stint in jail after he left two paramedics petrified they would be assaulted while trying to help him.

Grant Walter Spice was suffering a medical episode on July 31 last year when paramedics were called to his Parkes home.

Parkes man Grant Spice threatened two paramedics who asked him to wear a face mask. Picture: Facebook

According to court documents. the 31-year-old said he had a cough and flu for the past three days.

Paramedics gave Spice a face mask to wear and said he could pull the mask down to access pain relief from a green whistle.

“No I don’t want to get tested, it’s not COVID,” Spice told paramedics who advised that he could have the virus and needed to wear the mask for his safety and theirs.

Spice then took the mask off while in an ambulance on the way to hospital.

“I can’t breathe, it’s choking me,” he claimed as he thrashed around in the ambulance.

When the ambulance arrived at the local hospital, Spice removed his restraint and was told to put it back on while paramedics removed him safely.

In court documents, police said Spice started to cough in the direction of a female paramedic who was standing 1.5 metres away.

Paramedics in Parkes feared Grant Spice would assault them. Picture: News Regional Media

After paramedics told Spice not to do it again and wear the mask he’d been supplied with, he lashed out.

“F***ing dog c**s, you’re not treating me properly,” Spice said.

Paramedics refused to help Spice off a stretcher because he was abusive and he got within 30 centimetres of a female paramedics face and called her a f***ing bitch and c***.

Spice turned to a male paramedic and called him a piece of s***.

“F*** you dog c*** … I’ll f*** you up … I’ll f***ing bash you,” he said.

When the male paramedic said he would call police, a defiant Spice refused to stop the abuse.

“I don’t give a f***, they can’t stop me, they won’t save you,” he said.

When police caught up with Spice, he claimed he’d been treated like “s***”.

Spice pleaded guilty to two counts of intimidation when he faced Parkes Local Court.

Police prosecutor sergeant Donna Rayner said Spice’s conduct was unacceptable and put the safety of vital frontline workers at risk.

In court, Spice stood by his claim he had not been treated properly and struggled with getting the care he needed from healthcare workers.

Magistrate Michael Crompton convicted Spice and sentenced him to a 12-month term of imprisonment, to be served in the form of an intensive corrections order in the community.