Marshall Leese, a 32-year-old from Hanley, admitted to stealing an ambulance from Royal Stoke University Hospital on March 25. The incident involved the false imprisonment of a patient and dangerous driving through the Staffordshire region.
The 'run lock' exploit at Royal Stoke University Hospital
The theft of the Fiat Ducato ambulance was made possible by the vehicle's 'run lock' setting.. According to Staffordshire Police, the ambulance was parked in a triage bay at the Royal Stoke University Hospital shortly after 8pm when the theft occurred.. This specific mode allows paramedics to remove the keys from the ignition while keeping the engine running, a convenience that was exploited by Leese.
The 'run lock' mode used at Royal Stoke University Hospital creates a specific security vulnerability for emergency vehicles. While this feature is designed to facilitate rapid response by keeping engines ready, it provides a window of opportunity for criminal activity if the vehicle is left unattended in a public or semi-public triage area .
A pursuit ending in a police dog bite near Chesterton
The pursuit of the stolen vehicle ended at an Esso petrol station in Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme. After abandoning the ambulance, Marshall Leese attempted to flee into nearby woodland, where he was intercepted by law enforcement. Staffordshire Police reported that Leese was bitten on the hand by a police dog after he failed to comply with direct instructions from officers during the arrest.
Multiple guilty pleas before Judge Sally Hancox
Marshall Leese appeared at Stoke Crown Court to enter several guilty pleas regarding the incident. Wearing a grey Nike tracksuit, Leese admitted to aggravated vehicle taking, false imprisonment, and driving the Fiat Ducato dangerously. He also pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis at Wolverhampton New Cross Hospital and driving without third-party insurance.
Judge Sally Hancox described the case involving the stolen ambulance as "unusual" before adjourning the matter for sentencing. While Leese spoke briefly to confim his identity, he was ultimately remanded in custody. Detective Constable Lili Rose Gregory of the Staffordshire Police criminal investigations department noted that the incident could have resulted in much more severe harm if not for the timely intervention of authorities.
The missing details of the patient's ordeal at the Esso station
The identity and medical condition of the patient involved in the incident remain unconfirmed. While West Midlands Ambulance Service dispatched a second vehicle to the Esso station in Chesterton to recover the individual, the report does not specify the duration of the patient's captivity or the psychological impact of the false imprisonment. the full extent of the danger faced by the passenger remains one of the primary unanswered questions of the case.
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