Ambulance service refuses to reinstate innocent paramedic
May 24th, 2008 | Published in World News | 2 Comments
Australia: A paramedic acquitted of sexually assaulting a drug-affected patient is “shattered” by Melbourne’s ambulance service’s refusal to reinstate him.
Simon Howe, 32, was yesterday found not guilty of digital rape and indecent assault.
Mr Howe said he had proved his innocence in court but now had to prove his innocence in an unfair dismissal case.
“As far as MAS (Metropolitan Ambulance Service) is concerned I’m guilty until proven innocent,” Mr Howe said today.
“I have had to pay for the right to prove my innocence and I still have to today.
The Ambulance Union today condemned the MAS for forcing additional trauma on Mr Howe.
“The court has found him to be innocent, yet MAS are still treating him like he is a criminal,” Ambulance Employees Australia State Secretary Steve McGhie said.
“They should accept jury’s decision and reinstate him immediately.”
Mr Howe and a second paramedic arrived at a Melbourne nightclub in the city at 6.19am on November 5, 2006, to help a drug-affected woman.
A court heard that traces of the drugs ice and GHB were found in the woman’s system.
Defence barrister Peter Morrissey told the court that Mr Howe was restraining the female patient because she was behaving erratically.
Under cross-examination the woman said her memory had been scrambled by drugs.
Mr McGhie said MAS’s grounds for dismissing Mr Howe were always spurious and they remained so.
“At the time MAS said he should have filed an incident report, yet there was no policy requiring that of him,” he said.
“We call on the Health Minister, Daniel Andrews, to intervene and see that this innocent man gets his job back.”
May 25th, 2008at 8:22 am(#)
Mr Howe has been found not guilty of rape - as many people are, even in the most guilty of circumstances. Rape appears to be hard to prove for everyone expect the person who has been raped. I applaud the Metropolitan Ambulance Service for doing the opposite of what is society’s traditional response - in many cases it is the person who is raped that is villified and loses their job. I applaud that a new position is being taken by this organization. Maybe something new is beginning.
October 10th, 2008at 4:39 pm(#)
Similarly to the paramedic in Melbourne, I was falsely accused of criminal charges by a drunk woman that could easily have cost my job. The woman also made false charges against two police officers who arrested her. Thankfully her claims were not even held seriously enough for the Crown Prosecution Service (I am in the UK) to investigate further, but I had many sleepless nights whilst they were considering it. As such I have great empathy for the paramedic in Melbourne.
And my message for Peg Thatcher: what the hell are you talking about? The man has been cleared of all charges. He is INNOCENT. So take your self-righteous, do-gooder babble and stick it somewhere that would get you charged with buggery!