AN ex-soldier left two paramedics so frightened by his rowdy behaviour that they locked themselves an ambulance, a court was told.

Depressed Raymond Boyce had called the crew to his Nelson home but then turned on them.

He pushed an ambulance woman into her colleague and when police arrived the defendant threatened to assault an officer.

Boyce, said to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder after an incident involving another soldier during his army service, hurled a missile at the ambulance, chipping the window.

A judge at Burnley Magistrates Court said he had planned to send him to jail but spared him and told him there were ways he could help himself to cope.

Boyce, 34, of St Mary's Street, Nelson, admitted common assault, assault by beating, using words or behaviour likely to cause fear of unlawful violence and damage.

He was given a community order, with 12 months supervision and must pay £150 compensation to the assault victim and £65 costs.

He had two previous convictions for assault and had been given supervision in July.

District Judge Peter Ward told Bruce he had read psychological and pre-sentence reports on the defendant and accepted post-traumatic stress disorder seemed to be the clear diagnosis. His health had deteriorated..

The judge said: “You can't keep using that sort of explanation as a reason for this sort of behaviour. If you fail to comply with this, you are likely to find yourself resentenced to a custodial sentence.

“There are ways in which you can help yourself to cope with these problems but if you don't do so, you are held liable for your own actions.”

Lee Hammond, defending, said Boyce, who was on incapacity benefits, had previously been given a curfew.

He said: “His depression was getting worse, he withdrew into himself and started to drink more alcohol than previously. It didn't help him being subject to a curfew.”