Man jailed after stealing ambulance outside Stoke-on-Trent hospital

A man who took an ambulance with an elderly patient inside and drove through red lights for more than 20 minutes has been jailed for 21 months.

Marshall Leese, 32, stole the vehicle from a triage bay outside Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent on 25 March. The patient, a man in his 80s being treated for a head injury, was taking blood-thinning medication and was accompanied by a carer, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard.

A paramedic was also inside the ambulance. Prosecutor Robert Holt said the crew had initially thought a colleague with the keys had returned to the driver’s seat. When the paramedic realised the vehicle was moving, he shouted at the driver to pull over, warning that people were in the back. Leese did not respond or stop, the court heard.

The ambulance travelled around the city for more than 20 minutes before Leese attempted to evade police at a petrol station in Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme. Court footage showed him getting into the Fiat Ducato and driving away. The ambulance had been left in “run lock” mode, which kept its engine running while allowing paramedics to remove the ignition keys.

Mr Holt told the court that Leese was not driving at high speed, but went through red lights. He said a collision could have proved fatal for the patient. The paramedic described himself as terrified, while his primary concern during the incident was the patient’s welfare, the court heard.

Leese pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and aggravated vehicle taking. He also admitted failing to provide a specimen for analysis and using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance.

The court heard Leese had been experiencing delusions associated with use of monkey dust, a synthetic drug. His defence lawyer, Jennifer Devans-Tamakloe, said he had a long history of alcohol and drug misuse and that daily monkey dust use had affected his mental state. She said that at the time he believed he was being controlled and receiving coded messages.

Sentencing him, Recorder Ben Williams KC said Leese had driven erratically and put others at risk by going through red lights, although the footage showed he had exercised some care around other vehicles. Leese had 16 convictions for 22 previous offences, the court was told. He appeared by video link from HMP Dovegate, near Uttoxeter.

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