A MAN who sustained a serious brain injury in a road traffic collision over a decade ago has been convicted of sexually assaulting a female paramedic after he had taken a quantity of so-called legal highs.

Melvyn Jeffrey Bussell, of Cleenish Park, Enniskillen, was charged with sexually assaulting the woman, as well as attempting to sexually assault her, on August 24, 2015.

Bussell, who appeared in the hard-hitting ‘Crashed Lives’ road safety advertising campaign on UTV in 2012, also faced a series of other charges in connection with the incident last summer.

He was further charged with sexually assaulting a female police officer who interviewed him on the following morning, unlawfully assaulting the paramedic and an ambulance driver, assaulting two male police officers, resisting arrest and the attempted criminal damage of the ambulance.

The 33-year-old, who has been left with severe speech difficulties and limited mobility, denied all the charges against him, but was found guilty by district judge Nigel Broderick at Fermanagh Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Based on the findings of a neuropsychiatric report submitted to the court, defence counsel, Gavyn Cairns, had earlier argued that the test for insanity had been met in relation to Bussell.

The barrister said that the effect of the psychosynthetic stimulant on a man with a brain injury amounted to “pathological intoxication”.

Mr Cairns said that these stimulants would have a “larger effect” on Bussell because of his injury and would mean he was too focused on his sexual behaviour to have any control over it.

Rejecting defence arguments that Bussell was insane, the judge observed that he had “deliberately or voluntarily” taken drugs and alcohol and that, combined with his pre-existing brain injury, had resulted in his actions.

Taking to the stand at a previous hearing in the case last month, the paramedic told the court that, at 8pm on August 24 last year, a call was received that a 32-year-old male was “unwell”.

Upon arrival, she said they found him lying on the grass outside his house and unable to get up.

While examining him for injuries, the paramedic alleged that the defendant began “making advances”.

Describing him as “being forward”, she claimed that he had touched her leg, but couldn’t recall how many times. At this stage, she went into the house and found “legal highs”.

On the way to hospital in the ambulance, she described being intimidated by the defendant’s “very evil stare”. The paramedic then recalled how Bussell made “oral sex gestures” towards her and began rubbing his leg against hers.

After the defendant started undoing his belt, the paramedic said she got her colleague as “it was going too far”.

She said there was an exchange between the driver and the defendant, before the ambulance moved off again. At this point, she said that Bussell started getting “very aggressive”. He began clenching his fists, “fighting out” against her and pulling leads from equipment.

When he grabbed hold of the defibrillator, the paramedic said she was concerned about its weight and didn’t want it falling on the defendant. She claimed a “tussle” followed, during which she leaned over the patient to reach the defibrillator.

Realising that her shirt was open, she told the court that she presumed it had been “ripped open in the tussle”. She said that, at this stage, the driver was again speaking to the defendant.

She further alleged that the defendant was “more aggressive” towards the ambulance driver, and had headbutted him on the chest and kneed him in the groin.

Admitting that it was something she had never experienced before, the victim also confirmed she did not sustain any injuries.

When he took to the stand to give evidence, the defendant spoke through an intermediary who was sitting beside him.

He told the court that he didn’t remember anything about the whole day.

But when he was asked if he remembered taking any drugs on the night in question, he replied that he had taken two grams but didn’t know what the substance was.

Speaking on Tuesday, the judge told the court that issues had arisen relating to whether or not the defendant could avail of a defence of insanity.

Mr Broderick said that it was accepted by both the defence and the prosecution that the defendant sadly suffered from a significant brain injury as a result of a road traffic collision.

But he added that he was equally satisfied that the defendant had voluntarily taken drugs and alcohol and, in his view, this had played a “major part” in the offences.

The judge also said he had found the prosecution witnesses both “credible and reliable”.

After considering the oral evidence, submissions from both sides and a number of medical reports, the judge ruled that he was satisfied the PPS had proven their case “beyond a reasonable doubt” and convicted him on all charges.

The case was then adjourned until Monday, October 10 to allow for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.