A 19-year-old man from Pembrokeshire narrowly avoided prison after a court was shown body cam footage of him struggling with emergency workers, one of which he bit, while in the back of an ambulance.

On January 11, Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court was shown what presiding magistrate David Ellis described as "disgraceful behaviour" in the back of an ambulance after Dylan Hughes became aggressive towards emergency workers.

Hughes, of St Florence, was in the ambulance with his father who had fallen outside a pub and had a nasty gash on the back of his head.

Prosecuting solicitor Linda Baker said, considering the pandemic, the behaviour in the ambulance was terrible.

“You can see the defendant’s behaviour is absolutely appalling, bearing in mind the pandemic we are going through, the behaviour in that ambulance is not acceptable at all.”

Ms Baker went on to inform the court that Hughes had headbutted the officer twice and bit him in the head.

In mitigation the first thing solicitor Tom Lloyd did was admit how bad the behaviour was.

“His behaviour is absolutely disgraceful and he accepts that,” said Mr Lloyd. “He is embarrassed and ashamed by what he has done.”

Mr Lloyd then went on to say what Hughes had at stake.

“I am not going to make any bones about it, the question for you to consider is whether custody takes place.”

Mr Lloyd explained Hughes’ character was clean and that this was his first involvement with the police.

“There is a completely different side to Mr Hughes who did well at school and plays football and rugby. He got full-time work straight after school. He is a hard-working young man with a completely clean character. Other than this incident he is a 19-year-old boy anyone would be proud to have as a son.”

Probation officer Julie Norman explained to the court that Hughes had been drinking on a works night out and had had ten pints before the incident took place.

“The footage is quite distressing,” said Ms Norman. “There was a police officer, army officer and paramedic, they would have all feared for their safety that evening.”

Hughes pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker on December 18 at Johnston.

Sentencing him, Mr Ellis said the behaviour witnessed in the footage was "absolutely disgraceful".

“We have all seen the video and it was really shocking,” said Mr Ellis. “The emergency workers involved, other people in the ambulance, all tried to help your father. It was just shocking.”

Hughes was given a 16 week prison sentence, suspended for two years, made to pay compensation of £300 and complete 200 hours community service.

Hughes will pay a surcharge of £128 and costs of £85, all outstanding debts to be paid in 28 days.