Following the refusal of airport check in staff to allow an intoxicated woman to book in for her UK bound flight at San Javier Airport the Briton had no choice but to leave the airport building.
Bystanders suggested that as she walked from the terminal building she was clearly suffering from the effect of alcohol however, as she did so the woman suffered a dramatic fall, banging her head on the pavement as she fell to the ground.
She was quickly assisted by two paramedics but as they attempted to check her injuries she lashed out with her hands and feet, assaulting them both as she did so.
One of the medical staff, who suffered cuts and bruises, said “the dangers that we face on a day to day basis for simply trying to help the public is not recognised”.
The woman suffered a traumatic brain injury from the fall. “She was lying on the floor, bleeding,” and when we tried to put her on the stretcher she became violent. “She kicked us in the head, in the side and kept insulting us and spitting at us.”
The two paramedics had to call airport security personnel and the Civil Guard for assistance, in order to immobilise her and treat her injuries.
In so doing they were forced to use the restraint straps, usually reserved for psychiatric patients, in order to get her on a stretcher, into the ambulance and transfer her to Los Arcos hospital.
At the hospital, eight people then had to intervene to treat and sedate her. Everything was a consequence of alcohol.
Although the assault occurred on November 24 the trial took place on Boxing Day resulting in the woman being found guilty of assault and causing minor injuries. She was fined 180 euros for the assault in addition to which she was ordered to compensate the two emergency technicians for the injuries caused (160 euros to one and 240 euros to the other).
“The sentence is a bit lenient because at the time we are dealing with the injured we are agents of authority,” complained one of the paramedics. He said that he thought the judge should have applied a greater penalty.
