Ambulance Station gathering held in support of convicted paramedics

Saturday 29 June 2024

Emergency service and healthcare workers gathered last night to show solidarity with two paramedics convicted of failing to provide “reasonable care” to a patient who later died.

The event at the Ambulance Station in Rouge Bouillon was attended by care sector employees, representatives from the “blue light” services, GPs, and members of the public.

The gathering had been planned among a small group of colleagues before subsequently “going viral” amid widespread concern about the implications of the verdict.

Pictured: Tom Le Sauteur (36) and John Sutherland (60) had both denied the charge of breaching health and safety rules.

John Sutherland and Tom Le Sauteur were this week found guilty by Jurats in the Royal Court of a health and safety breach in relation to their response to a 39-year-old man who had called an ambulance after taking a drug overdose.

Having become aggressive and saying he did not want help from the paramedics, the man later died of cardiac and respiratory arrest while he was in their care.

The Jurats found that delays in delivering care on the night were "unreasonable".

Pictured: Protest attendees held signs saying "protect our emergency services".

No date has been set for the two men to be sentenced, and there has yet to be any indication about whether either or both of the paramedics might appeal against their conviction.

Both Sutherland, a former acting chief ambulance officer with more than 35 years’ experience, and Le Sauteur have been suspended from service since 23 March 2022, with their suspensions due to continue while an internal investigation is carried out.