Man who chased paramedics with knife jailed

An armed man who chased two ambulance staff along the street brandishing a large kitchen knife has been jailed for eight months.
Robert Blair was jailed for eight months at Livingston Sheriff Court. Picture: Lisa FergusonRobert Blair was jailed for eight months at Livingston Sheriff Court. Picture: Lisa Ferguson
Robert Blair was jailed for eight months at Livingston Sheriff Court. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

A court heard that Robert Blair, 46, armed himself with the seven-inch blade before he answered the door because he thought he was going to be attacked by neighbours.

Livingston Sheriff Court heard the ambulance had been called for Blair because he had suffered head injuries in a fight with neighbours over loud, anti-social music.

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But when paramedic Larraine Dickie saw him holding the weapon, she shouted to ambulance technician John McGurk: “He’s got a knife, run!”.

The emergency workers ran off, with Blair pursuing.

Alastair Macleod, prosecuting, said: “The accused chased them from the garden onto the public footpath and the ambulance technician activated his emergency button, shouting for police assistance.

“The paramedic reached the ambulance and the technician, who’d run in the opposite direction, saw the accused heading towards her.

“Fearing for her safety he ran back towards her. The accused at this point stumbled to the ground and the technician ran past him to the ambulance and both then managed to retreat.”

Mr Macleod said that when police arrived at the scene they found a heavily intoxicated Blair lying at the bottom of the garden path, and the kitchen knife on top of a garden fence.

When the accused was taken to hospital he told Scottish Ambulance Service workers he had the knife “for protection”. He added: “I chased them with it. Once I realised it was paramedics I put it down.”

At hospital he made further comments to medical staff, including: “I had it in my hand, the knife. When I saw the colours I put it on the fence.”

Blair, of Alexander Drive, Livingston, earlier pleaded guilty to assaulting, obstructing and chasing Scottish Ambulance Service personnel with a knife to their fear and alarm.

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He also admitted committing a breach of the peace and having a knife in a public place, outside his girlfriend’s house Barclay Way, Livingston on 15 March 2015.

David Mclaughlin, defending, claimed Blair had been “confused” on the night of the incident and should have known the people he was chasing were paramedics.

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