Drunk joy rider drove off and crashed ambulance car while paramedic was saving patient's life on emergency call John Heesom, 23, stole rapid response vehicle from outside house Driver was inside treating seriously ill man, but had left keys in ignition Crashed car in Caergwrle, Flintshire, before trying to set it alight Jailed for eight months and banned from road for two years Ashamed: John Heesom, 23, was jailed after admitting to joy riding an ambulance while drunk and crashing it in Flintshire A drunk joy rider who drove off in an ambulance and crashed it while a paramedic was on an emergency call has been jailed. John Heesom, 23, had downed nine pints of lager and some shots before stealing the rapid response vehicle from outside a house in the village of Caergwrle in Flintshire in February. The driver was inside treating an seriously ill man with a defibrillator and drugs but had left the keys in the ignition of the liveried Ford Focus, Mold Crown Court heard. Emmalyne Downing, prosecuting, said Heesom jumped into the car and sped off but then hit a curb damaging a wheel. Rather than stopping, he drove on until the tyre disintegrated. When he finally he stopped, he got out and tried to set the ambulance alight before fleeing the scene. Police were able to find the ambulance because it was fitted with a tracker, and Heesom was arrested a short time later after being hunted dow by a sniffer dog. When he was caught by police, Heesom had a breath alcohol reading of 60 microgrammes, almost twice the legal limit of 35. North Wales Ambulance Service has been left more than £5,000 out of pocket following the incident after the vehicle was written off due to smoke damage, and drugs and equipment which were inside had to be destroyed. The service has not been able to replace the ambulance, and is now forced to shared one with another station. Heesom, a car plant worker, was jailed for eight months and banned from driving for two years by Judge Rhys Rowlands, sitting at Mold Crown Court, who said he had 'put people's lives at risk'. He said: 'You took an ambulance rapid response vehicle . After you lost control and damaged it, your first reaction was to try and set it alight. Judge Rowlands added that such vehicles carry out a 'crucially important task' in the community and that Heesom's actions had prevented it being used again that night and prevented the paramedic from continuing with his duties. The ambulance vehicle, similar to the one pictured, was a write-off following the incident costing North Wales Ambulance Service more than £5,000 Heesom, from Cymau, between Mold and Wrexham, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, drink driving and a driving licence offence. He claimed that he had not realised that it was an ambulance vehicle. Oliver King, defending, stressed that his client was 'embarrassed and ashamed' and had been shunned in the small community where he lives because of his actions. He also claimed that Heesom is planning to run a charity half marathon in Chester in an effort to raise money for the ambulance service. 'He wants to make reparation,' Mr King said. He is truly remorseful for what he did that night.