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A court appeal date has been set for two paramedics found guilty of failing to provide "reasonable" care to a man who later died.
Following a trial in the Royal Court, ambulance workers Tom Le Sauteur (36) and John Sutherland (60) were convicted of a health and safety breach in relation to their response to a 39-year-old man who had called an ambulance when he was suffering the effects of an overdose.
On the day of their sentencing to a two-year conditional discharge last month, the pair confirmed their intention to "fight" the conviction.
It was confirmed yesterday evening that a hearing had now been scheduled for 21 to 23 October this year.
Chloe Wallser has been spearheading fundraising efforts to support the pair with the costs of legal representation. The total on their JustGiving page at the time of writing stands at more than £48,000.
Pictured: The fundraising total at the time of writing.
As the appeal dates were confirmed, she commented: "This is a major step forward in their fight for justice. Huge thanks to everyone who has supported them. Your donations have made a real difference, allowing Tom and John to access funds for legal fees.
"The fight is far from over and your continued support is still needed to help get through this. The road ahead will be challenging, but with continued support, we can see this through."
The case has caused some division in the community.
Many ambulance and emergency services workers have joined peaceful protests against the pair's conviction, and turned out in the Royal Square to support them on the day of their sentencing.
Pictured: Attendees at a protest outside Ambulance HQ following the trial in June, holding signs saying "protect our emergency services".
Many say the case has raised questions about the conditions paramedics are operating under and Express recently revealed that there had been seven recorded "safety events" this year alone, with some causing "moderate physical harm" to staff.
Ambulance Chief Peter Gavey told Express that there was a "zero-tolerance" approach to violence against staff, and that management take the health, safety and wellbeing of workers "very seriously", adding that the service has "robust policies and procedures in place to protect our colleagues in the line of duty".
Ambulance members of Unite have however supported a vote of no confidence in senior management, and the union has also called for a full judicial review of the case.
But family and friends of the man who passed away in Le Sauteur and Sutherland's care, Frazer Irvine, have said they are uncomfortable with how the case panned out and the resulting response in the community.
Pictured: When assaults on staff are reported by the Ambulance Service, one "safety event record" is created per event – regardless of the number of staff involved. This table represents the number of "safety events" which include assault on staff, rather than the number of staff involved in any assault.
Mr Irvine's mother, Linda, attended the Royal Court trial.
In a statement provided to the Health and Safety Inspectorate on 10 July, and later released to media by the Law Officers' Department, she explained how it sometimes felt as though her own son, who she remembered as a "beautiful young man", was the one "on trial".
She said she felt there had been a "character assassination".
Ms Irvine also said the public reaction to the case had been difficult for the family, and that some comments on social media were "devastating to read".
While Ms Irvine said she felt it was "commendable that [Mr Le Sauteur and Mr Sutherland's] colleagues supported them", she said she hoped at least "some" of those who sat through the trial would "reflect on the verdict and agree that the care was totally inadequate".
Recently asked for her view on whether the law had been applied appropriately, Social Security Minister Lyndsay Feltham, who has responsibility for health and safety legislation, responded: "It has been an incredibly difficult situation for all involved, and an emotional one."
"I am limited in what I can say but I can say that I will review the Health and Safety at Work law," she said.
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