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Two boozy brothers who punched a paramedic in a drunken attack blamed 'poisoned beer' for the shameful incident.

Michael, 53, and Anthony Donnelly, 52, dialled 999 claiming their lager had been spiked at a pub in Withington.

Three ambulance staff raced to the Wilmslow Road venue at 4am and found the pair ‘significantly intoxicated’ but otherwise unharmed, a court heard.

Both men then verbally abusive to a female paramedic. And when her male colleague squatted down to reason with the brothers, Michael Donnelly punched him in the groin, winding him.

The victim pushed Michael Donnelly away in self-defence but Anthony Donnelly then joined in, punching him in the face, magistrates were told.

The ambulanceman suffered cuts to his chin but was able to help restrain the pair until police arrived.

The brothers, who live together on Wesley Street, Failsworth, Oldham, denied assaulting the rescue worker but were found guilty at an earlier trial.

They were sentenced to a four-month curfew between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

They were also ordered to pay £100 compensation and £400 in costs.

Representing themselves at their sentencing hearing, the pair repeated their claim about ‘poisoned drink’.

Michael Donnelly told the hearing: “On the day of the incident, me and my brother suffered a poisoning and we phoned the emergency services for medical assistance.

“As a result of that we have ended up in court and in the dock. We only had four pints of Fosters lager. We were there for four and three-quarter hours. I was unconscious at the bus stop 400 yards away. We were both unconscious. When I came about I phoned them (the ambulance service) on four occasions.”

Anthony Donnelly said: “I regret striking the paramedic, it was because my drink was poisoned, so it was beyond my control.”

The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust said it backed tough action against anyone who assaulted staff.

Derek Cartwright, from the service, said: “It is totally unacceptable that violence is directed towards our staff. The trust does not tolerate abusive behaviour of any kind, whether physical or verbal.”