Kerrie Donley punched paramedic after courtesy bus fall

A Sydney woman has narrowly avoided jail after she punched and swore at a paramedic who tried to treat her after she was kicked out of an RSL for being too drunk and fell over inside a moving courtesy bus.

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A woman savagely punched and swore at a female veteran paramedic who tried to help her when she was kicked out of a Sydney RSL for being too drunk and fell over inside a moving courtesy bus.

Ramsgate RSL member Kerrie Donley, 57, punched the woman in the chest, shoulder barged her and called her a “f***ing bitch” on April 6 as the ambulance officer attempted to help her when she was so intoxicated she became unconscious.

The Ramsgate Beach auto parts delivery driver narrowly avoided jail after she pleaded guilty at Sutherland Local Court to two counts of common assault and Magistrate Peter Bugden sentenced her to an eight-month suspended jail term.

Kerrie Donley, 57, pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault.

“The court has a duty and responsibility to back up these people who perform the difficult tasks that they have when they are assaulted,” Mr Bugden told Donley.

“You told her to ‘f*** off, don’t touch me’ when she was there to help you.”

Donley will also have to complete 150 hours of community service after Mr Bugden noted she had several alcohol-related convictions on her record, including another common assault in 2000 and a mid-range drink driving in 2013.

Donley was heavily intoxicated after consuming several alcoholic drinks when she was finally refused service and asked to leave Ramsgate RSL around 10.10pm that night.

Donley boarded the courtesy bus, which travelled 300m before she fell off her seat to the floor.

The courtesy bus driver immediately drove back to the RSL, where the first assault unfolded.

“You were unconscious on the floor, and the officer was calling your name,” Mr Bugden told the court.

“She was shaking you and trying to wake you up … you hit her in the chest with your fist.”

Donley fell in and out of consciousness before telling the paramedic to “f*** off, don’t touch me” again.

Donley was refused service at the RSL due to becoming intoxicated before the incident unfolded.

Other passengers had to be assisted from the bus as Donley became more aggressive before she attempted to alight, took three steps and fell over in the street.

Despite being swung at and punched once already the paramedic helped Donley off the ground and offered to drive her home to Ramsgate Beach.

“In the ambulance the accused asked to have her blood pressure taken,” agreed police facts stated.

“The victim started to check the accused’s blood pressure but the accused became aggressive and verbally snapped at the victim, ‘f*** off don’t touch me’.”

The paramedic called police after Donley shoulder barged her as she got out of the ambulance and called her a “f***ing bitch”.

Police arrested Donley at her home the next morning, where she conceded she was “intoxicated” and “felt sick”.

Donley told the court she was sorry and felt “sick to her stomach” about her conduct that night.

Mr Bugden asked the police prosecutor to pass on Donley’s apology to the paramedic.

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