Man who stole defibrillator from ambulance crew sent out to help him jailed
Kevin McGuigan took the device in Dundee's Nethergate area.
A man who stole an ambulance crew's defibrillator after they were sent to his aid - then broke the £21,000 piece of lifesaving equipment has been jailed.
Career criminal Kevin McGuigan took the lifesaving device - used to shock stricken patients' hearts back into rhythym - from a crew who had been sent to help him in Dundee's Nethergate.
Paramedics had been sent to reports of an "unconscious, unresponsive" male lying on ground behind a church there - but instead found belligerent McGuigan who began acting aggressively towards them.
They approached police to deal with him - but were then called out to an emergency in St Andrews, 15 miles away in Fife.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court: "As they approached the police the defibrillator was left on the ground beside the accused.
"He then took the device and made off from the police and ambulance, which drove away leaving the device on the ground.
"He was found shortly after trying to hide it.
"The ambulance had to leave and attend an emergency in St Andrews.
"The defibrillator could have been vital.
"As a result a response paramedic unit was dispatched to pick up the defibrillator and take it to the crew.
"It turned out part of the equipment had been broken when it was dragged across the ground by the accused.
"The defibrillator was worth £ 21,500 and the cost of the damage was £500."
McGuigan, 36, pleaded guilty on indictment to one charge of theft committed on October 16 2015 and another of failing to appear in court on July 19 2016.
Solicitor advocate Krista Johnston, defending, said: "Fortunately for the paramedics the next job didn't actually require the use of the defibrillator.
"Why did he do this? He was extremely drunk. He woke up, picked this item off the ground and wandered off."
Sheriff Alastair Brown jailed McGuigan for 10 months.
He said: "What has to be clear is that this set of circumstances took place because of your behaviour.
"The theft of medical equipment, especially emergency medical equipment, is always serious - especially when in the course of stealing it you damage it.
"The stark fact is you put other peoples' lives at risk in several ways.
"In other circumstances you could have expected to spent the next several years in prison.
"I'm limiting this sentence because it was drunken stupidity."