A paramedic has described feeling scared and violated after he was violently and sexually assaulted by a female patient while trapped in the back of an ambulance waiting for help to arrive. Emma Elizabeth Biggs, 34, appeared mildly drunk and highly emotional when the two paramedics arrived to a report of a woman needing help in Civic last November. But while driving to the hospital she lunged at the paramedic in the back of the ambulance. When he asked her to sit back down she said “no you’re going to f–k me”. She grabbed his crotch and squeezed and swore at them. She exposed herself to the paramedic sitting with her and threw things at both men until they were eventually able to sedate her. The paramedic who was sexually assaulted said at a sentencing for Biggs in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday that he had felt uncomfortable, violated and fearful, and that the attack had stripped him of the ability to do his job and act with her best interests at heart, reducing him to what he felt was a scared blithering mess. He feared she would complain about him, that he might lose his job, and that no one would believe the word of two male paramedics over a female patient. “There I was, a 6 foot 90 kilogram bloke completely helpless against a petite female, how could this be, I still don’t completely understand it,” he said. “My colleagues and I do what we do because frontline paramedics … genuinely want to help people,” he said. “I don’t care who you are I will always do my best to help. My real fear is that the defendant has taken away my ability to do that.” The paramedic said with next to no support from the ACT Ambulance Service that he continued to deal with the impact of the attack on his own, though was lucky to have supportive family and friends. He said the attitudes of some people were disappointing, and the difference in expectation between genders. “I would like to state that regardless of gender the impacts and ongoing effects following an incident like this are very very real,” he said. Her attack had changed the way he worked and he believed it would forever. The paramedic said he hoped Biggs’ sentence was a wake up call to get the help she needed. “As always my colleagues and I will be there to help you and everyone else should you need us. “If you need us you know our number.” Magistrate Glenn Theakston said it was a shame someone with no criminal history had come to court faced with several serious charges. Biggs had pleaded guilty early to two common assaults, an act of indecency and damaging a machine worth $25,000 in the back of the ambulance. He said whatever the gender of the patient or the paramedic, the woman’s behaviour was unacceptable. He said the woman was expressed embarrassment and shame and had taken full responsibility for what happened though she did not remember the incident. Watching herself on surveillance footage had been difficult, the court heard. Mr Theakston said her references showed her to be a pleasant, caring, quiet and reserved woman but she had a serious problem with alcohol. The court heard the woman had booked herself into a residential rehabilitation centre a month after the incident, and was successfully continuing the program today. The case was an example of the fact that alcohol, although a normal and common substance, had the ability to rob some people of their choices and ability to control their actions, Mr Theakston said. He sentenced Biggs to a total of five months imprisonment but suspended the term immediately. He also imposed an 18 month good behaviour order and and a 12 month prohibition order.
