Zayd Omar Dib sentenced for common assault on paramedic

A man has admitted common assault on a paramedic as he was taken to hospital in an ambulance, a court has heard.

Zayd Omar Dib appeared in Southport District Court on January 22, 2025. Photo: Facebook

A Gold Coast man squeezed a paramedic’s thigh, slid his hand under her shorts and called her “baby” while being taken to hospital in the back of an ambulance. a court has heard.

Zayd Omar Dib, 20, pleaded guilty to two charges of common assault at the Southport District Court on Wednesday over the incident, which took place on 26 March 2023.

Prosecution counsel told the court paramedics were called to a Labrador address because Dib was suffering “excruciating” back pain.

Upon arrival paramedics administered some paracetamol and methoxyflurane in the form of an inhaler commonly known as a “green whistle”, before loading Dib into the ambulance and taking him to Robina Hospital.

Zayd Omar Dib appeared in Southport District Court on January 22, 2025. Photo: Facebook

The court was told that on the way to the hospital Dib smirked at the paramedic, squeezed her thigh with his hand, and said: “You gave me extra in my green whistle, didn’t you baby?”

The paramedic removed Dib’s hand from her leg and said: “Please don’t touch me.”

Dib continued to suck on the green whistle before making another advance, putting his hand on the paramedic’s thigh again, this time sliding his hand under the leg of her knee-length shorts.

The paramedic raised her voice and said: “That’s enough, do not touch me.”

The prosecution said Dib tried to apologise to the paramedic and asked to shake her hand, which she declined.

The paramedic reported the incident to her manager, and it was later reported to police.

In her witness impact statement she wrote that the incident made her feel “disgusted, violated, and dirty” and had impacted her ability to do her job.

Defence counsel Matthew Hydes told the court Dib, who was 18 at the time of the assault, was deeply remorseful about an incident which was an aberration of his character.

Mr Hynes said the 20-year-old married his partner in April 2024 and was two years into a carpentry apprenticeship at his father’s business.

Judge Katarina Prskalo considered that at the time of the assault, Dib was under the influence of medically necessary drugs to combat the pain associated with a tumour in his spine which was pushing against his spinal cord.

The court heard Dib had the tumour removed in 2024.

Judge Prskalo ordered the man to pay compensation to the paramedic in the amount of $1000, and recognisance of $300.

No convictions were recorded.