Suspended sentence, $100 fine for man's naked attack on country ambulance

Brian Charles Parfitt, 26, assaulted an ambulance with his naked body in Western Australia's Goldfields region. The incident occurred on December 7 last year after Parfitt was spotted acting erratically on the streets of Boulder, 600km east of Perth. Parfitt attempted to climb the ambulances and smashed his head repeatedly into the windshield, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage and terrifying the paramedics inside.

The paramedics fled the vehicle and ran to the second ambulance, with Parfitt being apprehended shortly after. He was placed in an induced coma. Parfitt's lawyers mentioned he was having a mental health episode at the time, but further details were not disclosed during court proceedings.

A magistrate handed him a suspended prison term and a $100 fine, citing his significant mental health issues as a key factor. The attack came four months after Parfitt's release from prison on other charges and caused $4,000 worth of damage to the ambulance. Parfitt had a lengthy criminal record and had failed to engage with rehabilitation programs, representing a high risk of future offending.

Magistrate Donna Webb described the 13-month suspended prison term as a likely last chance for Parfitt, who would need to do everything right to avoid further time in custody. She urged him to remain in Perth after his release, warning that Kalgoorlie seemed to be a trap for him. The magistrate emphasized Parfitt's significant mental health issues and the 261 days he had already spent in custody.

The incident has sparked a campaign from St John Ambulance to tackle violence against paramedics, which has seen a 11.9% increase in attacks across Western Australia in 2025. One paramedic, Rebecca Thompson, shared her traumatic experience during the attack, describing it as the most frightening moment of her life.