Peter Mele was spending Christmas with his girlfriend and their pet rabbit when he turned violent, attacking his girlfriend and turning on a paramedic and police officer
A man told a paramedic he would kill her before attacking a police officer on Christmas Day following an argument with his girlfriend in a Northumberland hotel.
Peter Mele was spending the Christmas period in the north east with his girlfriend and their pet rabbit but on Christmas Eve it all went downhill. In an argument with his girlfriend, he assaulted her and threated to harm their rabbit before he left the hotel and sitting near the road.
A female paramedic soon attended to help the 30-year-old, but despite her helping him, he told her: “I’m going to kill you”. It comes after man called 999 for ‘his own protection’ – then ended up jailed himself.
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On Thursday, August 14, Mele of Radcliffe Mount, Nottingham, appeared in Newcastle Magistrates’ Court where he faced three counts of assaulting an emergency worker and one count of assault by beating. He pleaded guilty to all offences. It was heard how Mele, his girlfriend and their pet rabbit travelled to the region during the Christmas holidays last year and were staying in a hotel, the Chronicle reports.
But, when the couple returned to the hotel on Christmas Eve, Mele was said to have been in a “depressed” mood. Ruth Forster, prosecuting, told the court that Mele had been on medication for depression in the lead up to the holidays, but had not always been taking it.
She said: “There was a steep change in his behaviour and he had [previously] booked a one way ticket to Italy and quit his job but continued with their Christmas plans. They returned to the hotel pub and he had been rambling to a barmaid. They got back to the room and suddenly he started saying nasty things like ‘you think I’m disgusting’. He continued to be venomous towards [his partner].”
Later that night, Mele then assaulted his partner and kicked her out of bed and she left the room as he was “shouting comments about harming their rabbit”. Due to concerns about Mele’s mental health, a female paramedic attended the scene in the early hours of Christmas Day, with Mele being found sitting cross-legged on a road.
Ms Forster said Mele was “rocking backwards and forwards” as the paramedic began helping him before he began to punch himself in the head. It was then that Mele chillingly told her, “I’m going to kill you”.
The paramedic pressed her panic button and a male paramedic arrived soon after, but Mele “adopted a fighting stance” and began threatening him and attempting to bite him, saying “I’m going to kill you all”. Mele – who became increasingly aggressive – then assaulted both paramedics as they attempted to restrain him.
The paramedics again pressed their panic alarms and the police turned up to arrest Mele. The court heard that the female paramedic who was assaulted had to undergo counselling and physiotherapy. When Mele was taken to the Middle Engine Lane station, he began dishing out “verbal threats” to officers and kicked one in the left thigh. The court heard he had five previous convictions for six offences, but had been out of trouble since 2016.
Adrian Irons, defending, said Mele’s girlfriend has stood by him and retracted her statement to police – however, Mele still pleaded guilty and accepted the assault. He said he was “absolutely devastated and ashamed” about attacking paramedics and police and had shown “significant and real remorse”.
Mr Irons said: “He wants to make it very clear, he profusely apologises and has remorse. He says he actions were completely inexcusable. He was in a bad way with his mental health and can’t believe what he’s done.”
Magistrates adjourned Mele’s sentencing so that a probation report could be completed. He will return to the court on Friday, October 3 and was given unconditional bail.
