Paramedic who stood with his hands in pockets as man died from heart attack in front of him FINALLY admits he could’ve done more to help
Matt Geary, 37, wrongly assumed heart disease patient Carl Cope was drunk as he lay dying outside a hospital
A "CALLOUS an uncaring" paramedic who stood with his hands in his pockets as a man died in front of him has finally admitted he should have helped.
Matt Geary, 37, had earlier brought patient Carl Cope, 47, to Walsall Manor Hospital after he suffered chest pains.
Mr Cope left the waiting room to buy a drink - but collapsed yards from the hospital door watched by Geary as he sat in his ambulance close by.
CCTV showed he waited 30 seconds before getting out to investigate, and then he failed to give him proper medical attention.
Eventually nurses came out to assist but Mr Cope died from the effects of his long-term heart condition in June 2012.
A Health Care Professions tribunal panel later allowed him to keep his job, but was forced to reconsider that ruling after an appeal last year.
Today at his latest hearing Geary admitted: "My behaviour wasn't up to standard and I should have raised my concerns about the patient earlier on when he was put into the waiting room.
"My mindset was wrong and my decision-making was wrong."
Two years ago Geary was given an eight-month suspended sentence after being convicted at Wolverhampton Crown Court of failing to undertake his duty.
Judge John Warner blasted his actions as "callous and uncaring" and said he had decided "not to waste his time" on the patient after wrongly assuming he was drunk.
He said: "You did nothing at all to help as a paramedic, or as a human being.";
Geary resigned from West Midlands Ambulance Service following a disciplinary hearing but has continued to practise.