Trusted paramedic saw Man City as 'fair game' and nabbed Sergio Aguero's football boots in £75k crime spree

'You have thrown it all away for some extra spending money'

A trusted matchday medic at Manchester City who carried out a four-year 'thieving spree' from the Etihad - selling items he swiped from the stadium on eBay - has escaped an immediate prison sentence.

David McNally was said to have 'thrown away' his long medical career because he 'simply wanted a bit of extra cash' to top up his paramedic's wage.

A judge who suspended the now ex-paramedic's sentence called his thefts 'breathtakingly brazen' and said he had brought 'embarrassment and disgrace' on himself and his family.

The 47-year-old, who was a North West Ambulance Service paramedic for more than 20 years until his arrest, was based at City's stadium for around a decade as a 'casual' matchday medic.

A court heard he had an ID badge and enjoyed 'privileged' access 'all over the club' as the most senior paramedic on matchday duties at times, but a judge told him he had allowed 'greed to overcome' his better judgement. .

Manchester Crown Court heard McNally, a father-of-two, swiped a tracksuit from women's changing rooms at the ground in February, 2023. It sparked a complaint and an internal investigation by the club.

CCTV images captured him entering the changing rooms and leaving again, before walking out to his parked car and putting an orange drinks container he was holding in his boot. Police were called in by the club and it later emerged McNally controlled an eBay account.

A warrant was then executed at his home in Helmshore, Lancashire, where police found 108 items including medical equipment, holdalls full of Manchester City kit, footballs, football boots, items of City-branded clothing and nutritional items, the court heard on Monday.

Charlotte Rimmer, prosecuting, said it emerged he had sold hundreds of items he had stolen from the club on the online auction house. The theft, she said, amounted to £75,000, with items worth £24,000 sold online that couldn't be recovered by the club.

All teams at the club, from the academy to the women's team and the first team, were affected, Ms Rimmer added.

A previous court hearing - as McNally admitted a single charge of theft - heard he flogged football boots, medical equipment and branded kits and tracksuits on eBay. He also admitted stealing valuable memorabilia - including eight signed men’s first team football shirts valued at £1,000 each; a signed banner from their 2021/22 Champion’s League campaign; and ‘personalised football boots’ made for striker Sergio Aguero.

Some of the medical equipment, said Ms Rimmer, was of 'high-value'. The prosecutor said there would 'have to be a significant amount of planning' and called the thefts - between June 2019 and May 2023 - 'clearly organised'.

Dan Calder, defending, said McNally wanted to issue a personal apology. He said: "It is a matter of profound shame for him personally and professionally. He wishes to apologise to all those affected by his conduct. His remorse is genuine and sincere."

Mr Calder said the thefts began with some 'opportunistic, trivial items', but 'progressed and escalated'. He said McNally stole the items simply to 'supplement his income'. "His medical career is over," added Mr Calder. "His reputation, a reputation he has built over decades, he recognises lies in tatters."

McNally is now said to be working in the construction industry and is his wife's sole carer. Judge Kate Cornell sentenced him to 10 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, after what she called a 'thieving spree'. McNally was also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work in the community and subjected to a curfew.

Judge Cornell said nothing he stole was of 'significant' personal sentiment, but some items were 'personalised', like the boots.

She told McNally, who trembled in the dock as he was sentenced: "You have thrown away your career in the paramedic service and I have to ask, for what? You simply wanted a bit of extra cash."

Judge Cornell said she believed McNally saw the Premier League club as 'fair game' because of its riches, but said his actions were 'wholly out of character'. McNally had no previous convictions. There was no reference made in court to any lavish spending of the proceeds of his crimes.

"You have thrown it all away for some extra spending money," Judge Cornell told him. "It was an extraordinary decision - it was an incredibly stupid thing to do."

McNally now faces paying back some of the money he raked in as he'll face hearings under the Proceeds of Crime Act.