Oxford man spat at paramedic in Bucks

Tony Phelps, 36, told Oxford magistrates on Saturday he was ashamed of himself – adding that he’d offended in an effort to get support for his mental health.

“I’m deeply ashamed of what I’ve done. I’m sorry,” he said from the dock.

Prosecutor Ben May told Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Saturday that a paramedic had pulled over after spotting Phelps in the middle of H8 Standing Way, Milton Keynes, shortly after 11pm on July 15.

Phelps, who had been drinking, became aggressive towards the paramedic and climbed onto the emergency worker’s blue light vehicle. He stamped on the windscreen then spat at the man who’d tried to help him.

Police officers took him to the station, where he barged a female officer and spat at her.

Because of fears he might harm himself, an officer was posted at the cell door. Phelps subjected him to a stream of homophobic abuse, pulled out his genitals and told him the officer: “Look at this, you f*****.”

In interview, he said he had no recollection of the incident and said he had mental health problems.

Phelps, of Boundary Crescent, Stony Stratford, pleaded guilty to assaulting emergency workers, abusive behaviour and criminal damage.

He was said to have been struggling with his mental health during the pandemic and was unable to access support.

The defendant, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia ’15 or 20 years ago’, was in the midst of a mental health crisis when he was found by the paramedic in the road.

Magistrates remanded him in custody to be sentenced at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court on August 6. As he was taken down, Phelps said: “All I’m asking for is help.”

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