A man has avoided jail after seriously hurting his brother in a crash – and attacking the paramedic who tried to help.
Mark Esslemont took a corner too fast and lost control of his car which overturnedon August 25 last year.
When emergency services attended the scene, at Brewery Road in Strichen on the A981 New Deer to Fraserburgh road, Esslemont lashed out at a paramedic.
Yesterday, he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted seriously hurting his brother Andrew by driving carelessly.
Firefighters had to cut the pair free from the car.
At the time of the crash Esslemont, of Coronation Cottages, Maud, was disqualified from driving.
The court heard that when emergency services arrived, Esslemont grabbed hold of paramedic Craig McDonald’s face and squeezed it.
Sheriff Andrew Miller told Esslemont he had committed a “collection of serious charges”.
He said: “You accepted that you were guilty of driving when the vehicle overturned when you were negotiating this particular bend on the road,
“You were also a disqualified driver at the time.
“As a consequence, your brother who was a passenger suffered seriously injuries, specifically to his back.
“You then assaulted a paramedic who tried to help you.
“This is a collection of serious charges against you, some which caused serious injuries which would normally have the maximum penalty of four years’ imprisonment.”
However, Sheriff Miller decided to impose a community payback order and told him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He also disqualified Esslemont from driving for one year.