| BB FANS http://www.bbfans.co.uk/ |
|
| Patients 'targeted in ambulance' http://www.bbfans.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=22428 |
Page 1 of 1 |
| Author: | JimD [ 26 Sep 05, 23:43 ] |
| Post subject: | Patients 'targeted in ambulance' |
Two ambulance crew staff stole hundreds of pounds from patients they were treating, Middlesex Crown court heard. Michael Chaves, 38, from Camden, north London, and Mohammed Ali, 28, of Neasden, west London, deny stealing from two patients last November. They are accused of taking £800 from an elderly man having a heart attack and £20 from another while on duty with the London Ambulance Service (LAS). Mr Ali is also accused of stealing medical equipment worth £3,000. Derek Zeitlin, prosecuting, said Thomas Forsyth was being taken to hospital with a suspected heart attack when he was targeted by the pair. The court heard he had about £1,500 cash in his wallet which was stuck tight in his shirt pocket. Mr Forsyth was asked to take off his shirt so he could be examined and it was handed to Mr Ali. It was only after asking twice for his wallet to be returned that Mr Chaves picked it up from the floor and handed it to him. "As soon as he saw the wallet he realised it was light and that a considerable quantity of money was missing," Mr Zeitlin said. Feeling too unwell to confront the men he waited until he reached the hospital to make a complaint. A few hours earlier Kabir Miah, 22, was receiving treatment in the back of the men's ambulance after collapsing when, Mr Zeitlin said, they took £20 from his wallet. 'Upset and scared' Mr Miah was alert enough to feel himself being turned over and his wallet removed from his back pocket. When the wallet was returned moments later he checked inside and noticed some cash was missing and accused them of taking it. Mr Zeitlin said "He started getting very upset. He was scared. He wanted to get out of the ambulance and stumbled out." The court heard he called the police but when they arrived they did not appear to believe him and did not find any money after searching the ambulance staff. Later searches by police uncovered £2,250 in cash at Mr Chaves' home and a monitoring machine in Mr Ali's wardrobe. The case continues. From the BBC |
|
| Page 1 of 1 | All times are UTC + 1 hour [ DST ] |
| Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/ |
|