Drunk man in boxers who pulled knife on 'shaken' paramedics was 'six inches from going to prison'
A drunk man who pulled a knife on paramedics when they went to his house to provide medical care was "within six inches" of going to prison.
Joseph Farrell, aged 49, was in a T-shirt and boxers when he pulled the weapon from an empty Strongbow cider box and "lunged" towards the two medics.
They managed to escape unharmed from Farrell's home in Windridge Court, Oswestry, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told. But Judge Anthony Lowe told Farrell it "wouldn't have taken much" for them to have been inflicted with "slash" injuries - in which case Farrell would have been looking at serious prison time.
The court was told that the medics were sent to Farrell at around 7pm on March 31 this year after he had expressed difficulties with his mental health to a doctor earlier in the day.
They made safety checks and called for police back-up before engaging with Farrell, who appeared intoxicated. He was slurring his words and there were empty alcohol bottles in his home, according to one of the medics.
