A FORMER York ambulanceman of the year has walked free from court after admitting stealing almost £4,000 from his employer and friend.

Michael Graham won an award from independent ambulance service Yormed in 2011 when he helped people who had been injured by a runaway horse in a freak accident.

Graham, now 29, of Wheldrake, was one of the first on the scene after the startled animal escaped from its enclosure at the Roman Festival in Malton, and his efforts to calmly assess and help patients and communicate with the air ambulance won recognition.

York magistrates ordered him to carry out 120 hours unpaid work in the community, under a 12-month community order, and ordered him to pay £500 compensation after he pleaded guilty to stealing £3,986 from Yormed boss Ashley Mason.

The court was told he took the money from a fuel expenses account. Katie Varlow, prosecuting, said some discrepancies had been noted and the theft was confirmed by an audit of the company accounts.

She said Graham was initially given a conditional caution but he did not comply with the sanctions by re-paying the money.

Chris McGrogan said in mitigation that Graham had been 'naive in the extreme', had a young family and had been in financial difficulties.

York Press:

When he had the opportunity to repay the money, he had not been aware as to whether he might do so on an instalment basis and 'buried his head in the sand'. He had not repaid the money and police had no option but to charge him.

"He is extremely remorseful," he said, adding that Graham deserved credit for an early admission of guilt, was engaging in valuable work in his local community and was fundraising to buy a defibrillator for the village hall.

Mr Mason said after the case that Graham had supported him in developing the Yormed business and had become very senior in the organisation.

"We both became very good friends, I was his best man in August 2014 and he was due to be mine in August 2016," he told The Press.

"When I found out about the thefts I was really devastated due to our close friendship. I am pleased the matter is now closed and we can both draw a line under it.”