A PARAMEDIC who turned to drink after witnessing someone hit by a train, has avoided jail for burglary.

Andrew Brown, 51, broke in to the Essex Arms in Warley Hill, Brentwood, and stole two bottles of booze after his life spiralled in to chaos while suffering post traumatic stress disorder.

Brown, who worked for the London Ambulance Service for 12 years, was handed a conditional discharge when he appeared at Basildon Magistrates’ Court last week.

The court heard Brown smashed his way into the pub with a shovel before taking a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and a bottle of rum.

When police arrived he told the arresting officer that he could not sleep, was in a bad way and “desperate” for a drink.

Stuart Cowan, mitigating, told the court his client had spiralled in to depression after witnessing the incident two years ago. The court heard Brown’s marriage broke down and he moved out of his family home into a flat following the tragedy.

He was ordered to pay £300 compensation to the pub, £85 court costs and £15 victim surcharge.