United Kingdom - A paramedic has been accused of crashing an ambulance while driving to an urgent call-out under the influence of alcohol, a tribunal heard today. Robert T Kane from Coleraine - a paramedic of over 20 years experience who has been dismissed - is also accused of failing to stop at the scene of the collision when it happened on February 14, 2006.

A hearing of the Health Professionals Council, which regulates various health professions, was held in Belfast today to consider the allegations against Mr Kane. Its Conducts and Competence Committee this morning began taking evidence on three charges against the former Northern Ireland Ambulance Service employee.

The hearing was told that Mr Kane was the driver of an ambulance which was dispatched to an urgent doctor's call in the Coleraine area.

Shamsun Nasar, who is presenting the case against Mr Kane, told the three-person committee that his ambulance was involved in the collision shortly after it was dispatched and that he left the scene.

She said that Mr Kane's crew mate, Eddie Kilgore, reported that his colleague had difficulty parking the ambulance on arrival with the patient, prompting him to take over the wheel.

Mr Kilgore then drove the vehicle to a casualty department while Mr Kane remained in the back with the patient.

Ms Nasar said that Mr Kilgore would tell the panel that his colleague's speech was slurred and his eyes glazed.

Mr Kane is also alleged to have later admitted to Mr Kilgore that he was drunk.

Mr Kane is also alleged that when reporting the collision to ambulance controllers he was confused about the details and his speech was slurred.

The Committee heard Mr Kilgore later inspected the ambulance and found a small dent.

Mr Kane was dismissed from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service on May 1, 2007.

This morning's hearing was delayed by an hour because Mr Kane had not arrived in Belfast from Portrush as expected.

Ms Nasa told the panel that Mr Kane told her that his car had broken down.

The hearing was adjourned while bus timetables were obtained.

The panel was later told that Mr Kane was not willing to travel by bus to Belfast and wanted the case to proceed in his absence.

The panel agreed to proceed.

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Written by Claire Harrison