'Grabby' patient laughed after sexually assaulting London Ambulance Service paramedic

'He was suggestive with his eyes and pulled his pants down,' Charlotte told reporter Helen Keenan.

A patient laughed after sexually assaulting a London Ambulance paramedic who described how he pulled down his pants and became very "grabby".

Charlotte Miller recalled the "horrific" moment Naveed Ahmed, of Hickling Road in Ilford, exposed himself after she and a colleague were called to help.

The situation rapidly deteriorated when the 35-year-old "turned funny" and became very suggestive.

"It only became apparent that as we were taking the gentleman towards the ambulance with us things turned funny," Charlotte told ITV News.

"He changed his mannerisms, he became quite suggestive. He was a very grabby person.

"I thought it was a bit of a vulnerable situation to be in. He was trying to grab us in places you should not be grabbed.

"He was very suggestive with his eyes and he pulled his pants down and exposed himself.

"It was horrific. We are there to do a job and protect people and not there to be exploited by these individuals.

"He went to grab my crotch and made contact and went to do it again and also exposed himself and laughed about it afterwards," Charlotte explained.

Fearing the situation could escalate Charlotte and her crew mate called police and refused to take Ahmed inside the ambulance.

Above: CCTV inside the ambulance recorded the moment Charlotte contacted police

Charlotte waived her right to anonymity, which is automatically granted to victims of sexual offences, in the hope it will encourage others to report similar crimes.

In 2022 there were a total of 49 sexual assaults on London Ambulance Service staff or volunteers.

There were a further 516 physical assaults – including kicking, punching, head-butting and attacks with a weapon – and 601 reports of verbal abuse or threats of violence.

The Service has invested more than £3 million in kitting out its ambulances with video cameras aimed at protecting crews.

So far, video captured by the ambulance cameras has been used in several successful prosecutions, with 92 submissions of video evidence since April 2022.

London Ambulance Service’s Chief Paramedic Dr John Martin added: "Our ambulance crews and call handlers should be able to work without fear of violence, sexual violence or threats.

"They come to work each day to help others so we will do everything we can to keep them safe and ensure they are treated with the respect they deserve."

Naveed Ahmed was jailed in November for nine months for the assault on Charlotte Miller.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know