A PUB-GOER found unconscious in a Herefordshire bar broke a paramedics jaw with a single punch as ambulance staff were trying to treat him.

Henry Grain admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent and causing criminal damage when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

An ambulance had been called to Leominster's Shooters Bar at 8.30pm on March 4, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

The two paramedics sent to the scene decided to move Grain, who was unconscious and unresponsive, to the ambulance in order to take him to hospital.

But once in the vehicle, Grain began to regain consciousness, becoming abusive and angry, telling the paramedics he wanted to leave, throwing his arms around, and punching one of the windows of the ambulance, causing damage to it.

Becoming concerned for their own safety and for Grain, the paramedics removed their monitoring equipment from him and asked him to leave the ambulance, letting him out from the rear door, which he also damaged as he left.

But as Grain left, he turned and threw a punch that narrowly missed one of the paramedics before walking away, turning around again, and running back to the ambulance to throw another punch, this time hitting one of the paramedics in the face, knocking him to the floor and breaking his jaw.

Grain was restrained by the paramedics until police arrived.

The paramedic, who said he had suffered excruciating pain in the attack, was taken to hospital where a CT scan confirmed his jaw had been broken.

"He said he does not go to work to be assaulted and that it has really knocked his confidence," Mr Hambling said.

In a police interview, Grain said he had been at the bar with friends but that he did not know how much he had drunk and could not remember what had happened.

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Chris Read, for Grain, said he was asking for an adjournment for a pre-sentencing report to be carried out and that the 20-year-old had himself been the likely victim of an assault himself.

"The ambulance was called for him," Mr Read said.

"He was unconscious and had a significant injury to his hand. He was disorientated, did not know what was going on, and was trying to get out of the ambulance.

"He is a first-time offender and was 19 when this happened."

Mr Read said Grain had been diagnosed with learning difficulties when he was younger, but that support had stopped when he turned 18.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentencing report to be carried out and Grain, of Worcester Road, Leominster, will appear before magistrates for sentencing on September 21.

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