A ‘SUICIDAL’ drunk set his clothes on fire outside a Worcester hospital emergency department, swung a knife and assaulted the paramedic trying to help him.

Daniel Blackwell was sentenced at Worcester Magistrates Court on Tuesday after he admitted assaulting an emergency worker in the execution of his duties and a public order offence.

The 34-year-old of Tamworth Avenue, Warndon Villages, Worcester, pleaded guilty to the section 5 public order offence at Worcestershire Royal Hospital's A&E department on April 25 this year and assaulting ambulance worker Philip Saville on February 22 this year after the drunk defendant called 999, threatening to kill himself.

The court heard from the defendant's solicitor that Blackwell had a previous conviction for possession of an offensive weapon – a knife sticking out of his own leg which he had impaled himself with.

Ralph Robyns-Landricombe, prosecuting, said: “The defendant attended Worcestershire Royal Hospital because he was having suicidal thoughts. He was told he was too intoxicated to see mental health staff and could wait in A&E until they could see him.”

While waiting he was described as ‘becoming abusive to security staff’. Blackwell ‘threw chairs in the A&E department’, witnessed by the public and hospital staff and causing them ‘alarm or distress’.

Mr Robyns-Landricombe said: “He went for a cigarette and lay on the floor in front of A&E and refused to move. He told security staff ‘watch this!’ before setting his clothes on fire. Security staff managed to stamp on the fire.”

The prosecutor said Blackwell then started to self-harm. On February 22 ambulance staff received a call from the defendant in which he said he was ‘feeling suicidal’.

Ambulance staff arrived with the police. Blackwell was ‘intoxicated’ and told them he had drunk a bottle of vodka. He became ‘more positive’ when the crew arrived and assured them he would not harm himself.

“Just before the ambulance started to go they asked him what his intentions were. He said ‘to kill himself'” said the prosecutor.

However, the defendant refused to go to A&E and he told the crew that if the ambulance left he would ‘do it’.

Mr Robyns-Landricombe said: “He put a kitchen knife to his chest and started heating the knife over the cooker hob flame.”

However, a member of the crew managed to take the knife off him but ‘not before he had swung the knife in the air with the blade pointing upwards’.

The ambulance worker was not hurt and in police interview the defendant said he did not threaten them and ‘wanted to kill himself’.

Richard Hull, defending, said the paramedic himself had been aware of the ‘complex issues’ involving the defendant. He said: “Mr Blackwell brings others into harm’s way because of his intention to harm himself which is distinct from somebody who has an intention or desire to harm those who are serving the public.”

Mr Hull said of his client: “He wants to change.” He said one a catalyst for Blackwell’s behaviour had been the death of his grandmother. He also said Blackwell had been ‘out of trouble’ since the offences were committed.

Magistrates David Shadwell and Kevin Lloyd-Wright handed Blackwell a community order for 12 months to include 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, six months of alcohol treatment, 80 hours of unpaid work and compensation to the paramedic of £100. They also issued a fine of £145, a victim surcharge of £90 and ordered him to pay costs of £185.

They ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the knife.