Paramedic accused of raping a female patient told her he would lose his job if she said anything

Andrew Wheeler, 46, is accused sexually abusing four women and a young girl over a 16 year period.

Prosecutor Noel Casey alleged the East of England Ambulance worker “abused the privilege and trust that wearing an NHS uniform brings with it.”

Peterborough crown court heard the first victim was an alcoholic who arrived drunk at a friend’s home in a village in Cambridgeshire at around 8.30 in the morning of Sunday, September 2, 2018.

When she passed out in the kitchen, her friend called for an ambulance.

Wheeler, who was working on his own, was called out to deal with her. Two other paramedics arrived, but left after he told them he had the situation under control.

The jury of seven women and five men were played a video recording of the woman’s interview with a police officer. She said: “I was drinking and passed out on the kitchen floor. I don’t remember the ambulance people.”

The woman, who said she had been drinking vodka or wine, said she recalled being put in a car (Wheeler’s ambulance) and somebody putting a seat belt on her. She said: “I don’t remember being driven back home. The next thing I remember I was sitting on the sofa. He put his hand on my leg and then he kissed me. I thought it was a bit weird.” She alleged he lifted her top and touched her breast.

“I remember him standing in front of me. I remember his belt. It was bronze with a V shape. He pulled his trousers down a bit. He had bright coloured bottoms on.”

She said he then sexually abused her.

Asked if he said anything, she said: “I remember him saying something about losing his job.”

After that she said he kissed her a couple of times and sexually touched her.

She said she remembered he was older than her.

The jury heard she called a police woman friend, who alerted colleagues. Body worn footage from an officer sent to her home recorded the woman saying: “He told me he would lose his job if I said something.”

Jennifer Dempster QC for the defendant said to the woman: “Your friend told the ambulance crew you say anything when you are drunk. Is that fair or unfair? She replied: ”Unfair.”

Asked if he had gone into her home because he was going to do an adult social care referral on her, she said: “No.”

Miss Dempster put it to the woman that her memory of events was very confused. She replied: “No.”

She denied asking the paramedic to give her a hug.

The barrister said that Wheeler had acted “entirely professionally.”

The jury heard that when a nurse heard of Wheeler’s arrest for allegedly raping the woman, she burst into tears and said he raped her when she was a student and had assaulted her in the back of an ambulance.

The woman told the police that they had exchanged flirty texts and had some consensual sexual activity. But it is alleged his demeanour changed and he told her to get over the sofa where he raped, her causing her to bleed.

The following year, the prosecutor said, the woman called for an ambulance. Wheeler was part of the crew. “Whilst in the back of the ambulance he took the opportunity to grab her breast.

“He gave her some adrenaline and said: ‘That is not the first time I have had to jab you with something.’

“It shows Andrew Wheeler’s disregard and casual indifference to the sexual autonomy of the women he has encountered in his life,” said Mr Casey.

The prosecutor said the fourth victim was a patient who had been struggling with depression and anxiety. She became ill while watching an ‘eviction night’ on the Big Brother TV programme. The woman dialled 111 and was told to call for an ambulance.

Wheeler and a colleague arrived and when the colleague left, he is alleged to have followed her into the kitchen and put his hands on her hips. She said: “What are you doing?” He replied: ”I though I would stay a bit.”

The prosecutor went on: “She noticed the defendant fiddling with the belt on his jeans. He said: “Look what you have done to me” and brushed her hand against his groin.

“She was frightened and told him to stop. He pushed her against a kitchen unit and tried to grab her wrists together. He tried to push her into the toilet. She said ‘What are you doing?’ He left but, before he did, he left her his telephone number on a piece of paper.”

The prosecutor said that on around 10 occasions he had placed his hand on the inner thigh of the fifth complainant who, at the time, was aged 9 or 10.

Wheeler, previously from Signal Road, Ramsey in Cambridgeshire, denies 12 charges at Peterborough crown court.

The defendant, now of Mill Green, Warboys near Huntingdon, denied five charges of rape against one victim.

The paramedic denies two charges against a second victim: rape and sexual assault.

He pleads not guilty to sexual activity without consent against the third complainant.

Wheeler denies raping a fourth woman and assaulting her by penetration on the same day.

He also denies two charges of sexual assault on a child.

Mr Casey told the jury the picture of Wheeler, who arrived at court unaccompanied and was wearing a suit, shirt and tie, was one of a “callous sexual abuser who at the time thought he was untouchable. “

Judge Matthew Lowe told the jury that the case will continue into the New Year.

The trial continues.