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A paramedic who was sacked for restraining an “aggressive drunk” at the Royal Liverpool Hospital has been barred by a misconduct panel.

Adrian Penfold-Ivany, 46, was filmed on CCTV throwing a man to the floor and attempting to drag him out of the A&E department.

The paramedic claimed he was defending an elderly woman who felt threatened by the man’s behaviour.

But the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) ruled Mr Penfold-Ivany used “excessive physical force” and barred him from working as a paramedic for the next six months.

The drama unfolded in January last year after Mr Penfold-Ivany had taken a patient to hospital who was accompanied by an elderly friend.

A man in the A&E waiting area then became “verbally aggressive and abusive” towards the paramedic, the HCPC said.

Mr Penfold-Ivany, from Kirkby , said at the time: “There was a drunk male who was shouting and swearing.

“He then put his arm around a little old lady and she was clearly terrified.

“I challenged him and he squared up to me. I ended up wrestling him to the floor and restraining him.”

The man – who was also a patient in A&E – was arrested after the scuffle but no further action was taken by police.

Mr Penfold-Ivany was then suspended from duties and later sacked for gross misconduct by the North West Ambulance Service , before the watchdog launched a probe into his actions.

The investigation found the A&E scuffle was a “single incident in an otherwise unblemished career”.

Mr Penfold-Ivany told the ECHO he now accepts his actions that night were excessive, but his judgement was affected by a recent assault in which he was punched by a patient who was high on cocaine.

He is now employed as a coach driver but hopes to work as a paramedic again once his six-month suspension order is lifted.

Philip Geering, chairman of the HCPC misconduct panel, said: “A suspension order is needed to restore confidence in the profession and emphasise to Mr Penfold-Ivany that use of excessive physical force towards any member of the public is not acceptable, even when the member of the public is challenging.”

An ECHO poll last year found 71% of readers believed it was unfair that he lost his job, while 29% believed his punishment was just.