Samuel Patrick Dobb pleads not guilty to one count of serious assault after being accused of spitting at paramedic

A professional mixed martial arts fighter accused of spitting blood on a paramedic will spend months in limbo because a mistrial was called after two-and-a-half days of proceedings.

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A PROFESSIONAL mixed martial arts fighter accused of spitting blood on a paramedic will spend months in limbo because a mistrial was called after two-and-a-half days of proceedings.

The mistrial was called after a juror made their own investigations into the case.

Samuel Patrick Dobb had pleaded not guilty in the Southport District Court to one count of serious assault.

It is alleged he knowingly spat blood in the mouth of advanced care paramedic Daniel Rickard in the back of an ambulance on May 16 last year.

Paramedics were called after Dobb was spotted behaving erratically, including lying shirtless on the verge. At one point he yelled “f*** off, Satan”.

The jury began deliberations about 3pm on Tuesday afternoon.

About 1pm on Wednesday they sent a note to Judge David Kent saying a juror had made independent investigations.

Judge Kent was forced to call a mistrial.

“I emphasised at the start of the trial and again last night that independent investigation was not permitted,” he said.

“Assuming the content of the note to be correct for the moment, it’s caused a mistrial at significant public expense.”

Judge Kent listed the matter for a mention on Thursday next week. It is not clear if the Crown will pursue a second trial.

Outside of court, Dobb’s lawyer Dave Garratt, of Howden Saggers Lawyers, said it was disappointing for everyone involved.

“Not just for our client but also for the Queensland Police, the Queensland Ambulance Service, for the court and the whole justice system,” he said.

“Unfortunately, His Honour’s directions weren’t followed and now we have just wasted three days of time and taxpayers’ money because directions were not followed.”

Mr Garratt said a second trial would mean the alleged victim, Mr Rickard, would have to give evidence again.

“It’s takes the ambulance officer off the road when they could be looking after the public, and it also takes our client away from getting on with his life,” he said.

Mr Garratt said Dobb was quite upset.

It is estimated a standard two-day trial would cost the taxpayer about $120,000. That would include all preparation, the jury panel, the judge, court staff, prosecution and defence.

TUESDAY: MMA pro who spat blood at ambo says ‘drink spiked’

A PROFESSIONAL mixed martial arts fighter and former Gold Coast Titans junior’s drink was spiked and he thought he was going to hell in the hours leading up to spitting blood in a paramedic’s mouth, a jury was told. 

Samuel Patrick Dobb told the Southport District Court on Tuesday that his drink had been spiked prior to the incident about 11pm on May 16 last year.

Dobb has pleaded not guilty to serious assault.

It is alleged police were called to Neptune Crt, Surfers Paradise about 10pm when Dobb was behaviour erratically including yelling out “f*** off, Satan”. 

When paramedics were taking Dobb to hospital they were forced to pull over in Southport when Dobb began to behave erratically, the court was told.

It is alleged while they were stopped Dobb sucked blood from a wound on his finger and spat it in the mouth of advanced care paramedic Daniel Rickard.

Dobb took the stand on the second day of the trial and told the jury his drink had been spiked.

When asked if he had taken drugs Dobb said: “I would never risk my career. I would never want to jeopardise that.”

Dobb told the court he was an MMA fighter and was in training for a fight which had been delayed due to the coronavirus.

He said he had been regularly drug tested since he was 14 when he was contracted to the Canberra Raiders junior team before switching codes to join the ACT Brumbies at 16.

Dobb said he then moved up to Queensland to join the Gold Coast Titans under-18 team before playing for the Queensland Reds rugby union Under-20s team. He has also won a national judo title.

Dobb told the jury he had two beers with a friend about 2pm before they went to a street party about 7pm that night.

He said he got a beer at the party which he drank.

Dobb said he could not remember how he got that beer, whether it was given to him or he picked it up off the ground.

He and his friend returned home soon after.

The jury was told Dobb began hallucinating after watching dog racing including seeing “medieval demons”.

“I thought I was dead and I thought if I am seeing this stuff I must be going to hell ... I was just screaming out and making any effort not to go,” he said.

Dobb said he did not remember police, paramedics or getting in the ambulance. He told the court he didn’t remember spitting on Mr Rickard.

“That’s not me. That is so out of character, I would never do anything like that,” he said. 

“I have nothing but respect for police and ambulance and everything they do.”

Dobb told the jury he woke up in intensive care the next morning.

The jury was told Dobb has no criminal history and no drugs were found on Dobb or in his home.

The jury retired to begin its deliberations shortly after 3pm. With no verdict reached on Tuesday, it is expected to resume its deliberations on Wednesday morning.

MONDAY: SHIRTLESS RANT BEFORE ALLEGED SPIT AT AMBO

A MAN allegedly spat blood into the mouth of a paramedic after a shirtless rant that included references to Satan and Jesus, a jury has been told.

Samuel Patrick Dobb pleaded not guilty in the Southport District Court on Monday to one count of serious assault.

The jury was told an ambulance and police were called to Neptune Crt, Surfers Paradise on May 16 last year after Dobb was seen lying shirtless on the verge.

In body-worn camera footage played to the court, police officers tried to calm Dobb, telling him ambulance officers were there to help.

He could be seen occasionally kicking his legs out at police. At other times in the footage he appeared calm.

“F*** off, Satan,” he screamed at one stage.

“Jesus help me, Jesus is my saviour.”

Advanced care paramedic Daniel Rickard told the court his crew was called to the scene just after 10pm and arrived to find police trying to calm Dobb down. A decision was made to try and sedate him and put Dobb on to a stretcher.

“Mr Dobb appeared quite restless and agitated and physically flailing his limbs at times,” he said. “He appeared wearing dark shorts, no shirt and was quite well built.”

He said Dobb was also “profusely sweaty”.

Mr Rickard told the jury he and his partner Thomas Kenney assessed Dobb to have a high risk of aggression.

The court was told Mr Rickard and a police officer travelled with Dobb in the back of an ambulance to Gold Coast University Hospital. Mr Rickard said Dobb became agitated again so the ambulance pulled over. He told the jury he tried to verbally calm Dobb down.

“He proceeded to suck blood out of a wound in his finger and then proceeded to spit that in my face and mouth,” Mr Rickard said.

Mr Rickard said he spat an “unknown quantity” of blood into a container.

Senior Constable Suzanne Whitaker said she was first on the scene when police were called to Neptune Crt.

She said she noticed Dobb “appeared to be highly drug affected” and was rolling around, rambling and “talking about blood coming out of people’s eyes”.

Defence barrister David Funch, instructed by Howden Saggers Lawyers, asked Sen Const Whitaker about drink spiking.

“I have never dealt with a drink spiking in my career but I’m sure it has happened,” she said. “I don’t consider it a big issue on the Gold Coast … that is my own personal opinion.”

The trial continues.

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