Medic jailed over patient 'photo'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7560940.stm

Version 0 of 1.

An ambulance worker who took out his mobile phone camera and pointed it at an unconscious patient's private parts has been jailed for four months.

Ambulance technician Scott Jenkins, 30, took out the camera and made offensive remarks about the woman, who was drunk and naked from the waist down.

The father-of-two crouched down in front of her in the ambulance and told colleagues: "She'll never remember."

Sheriff Andrew Lothian described it as a "gross breach of trust".

Jenkins was arrested after another paramedic, disgusted by his actions, reported him to a team leader in the Scottish Ambulance Service.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday, Sheriff Lothian praised the paramedic who reported him. If it wasn't for the courage and good sense of one of your colleagues this would have been swept under the carpet Sheriff Andrew Lothian

He told Jenkins: "You were only in this lady's presence in order that you could help her and you did precisely the opposite.

"If it wasn't for the courage and good sense of one of your colleagues this would have been swept under the carpet."

Jenkins, who has been suspended from work since 1 March, had denied the incident and stood trial last month but was found guilty of committing a sexual breach of the peace.

The incident took place when Jenkins and a male colleague attended an emergency call to the Cowgate, at Holyrood Road in Edinburgh, on 10 February.

During his trial, Jenkins confessed to enjoying "banter" at work and admitted taking out his phone and asking a colleague if he wanted a picture, but denied taking any pictures.

His lawyer later said Jenkins was "ashamed" of his actions, which had "a devastating effect on his family".

His wife ran crying from the court after seeing her husband jailed.