Wednesday, July 11, 2012

** Ontario paramedic heading to jail on child porn conviction

** Thunder Bay, Ontario medics dealing with increasing numbers of mentally ill or addicted patients

CANADA NEWS

** An Ontario paramedic will be spending the next 11 months in the clink after being convicted on child porn charges. The Niagara Falls Review (Tony Ricciuto/July 7) said former Niagara EMS practitioner Andrew Caston was sentenced Friday. According to the newspaper, Caston, 47, pleaded guilty earlier to three separate charges. Tags included child porn possession, accessing child porn, and making child porn available. Sentenced to 2 years less a day, Caston was given credit for time served since his incarceration awaiting trial in June 2011. He will also serve 3 years probation following the completion of his sentence. At the time of his arrest, Caston had worked EMS for 25 years. He said he began his porn habit in 2004 and was fired from his paramedic job after police caught him.

** Thunder Bay, Ontario paramedics are apparently being deluged by calls involving mentally ill patients. That is the word from CBC News (July 6) which quoted one practitioner as saying nearly 40 per cent of help hails he receives involves such individuals or ones dealing with substance abuse problems. Ryan Ross said the situation can be frustrating. According to the news site, area EMS is dealing with 80 per cent more calls for mental health patients than in 2002. Superior North EMS chief Norm Gale said psyche patients have the potential to drain the system, slowing timely response to other emergencies. Mayor Keith Hobbs, meanwhile, said the city is hoping the province may help to ease the problem by funding increased mental health and addiction programs.