TWO paramedics convicted of failing to provide “reasonable care” to a patient who later died are “staggered” by the £41,000 that has been raised by Islanders to support them.
A fundraiser launched on Tuesday to support paramedic John Sutherland and technician Tom Le Sauteur smashed its initial £20,000 target yesterday afternoon.
The crowdfunding site was set up to cover the legal fees of the pair who were last week found guilty by Jurats in the Royal Court of a health and safety breach in relation to their response to a 39-year-old man who had called an ambulance after taking a drug overdose. More than 700 Islanders had donated a total of over £41,000 to the fundraiser by Saturday evening.
In response, Mr Le Sauteur and Mr Sutherland said: “We are staggered by the generosity and support that has been shown to us by so many. It is difficult to find the words to describe it. We want everyone who has commented, donated and approached us in person to know how much it has helped.”
They added: “When we needed kindness, we didn’t have to ask. Strangers and friends alike have shown us that the silent majority are inherently good. You have placed tremendous faith in us. We will not let you down.”
The target for the fundraising page has now been increased to £50,000.
No sentencing date has been fixed for Le Sauteur and Sutherland, who have yet to state publicly whether they will appeal against their convictions. Both paramedics have been suspended from service since March 2022.
The fundraiser can be found here: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/JohnandTom.
