Pilot from Swaffham arrested on suspicion of posing as medic

William Eakin, who uses a specially adapted motorbike fitted with sirens and an NHS-style touch screen, claims to offer medical assistance to children at events and talks at schools and churches.

He is a qualified pilot who uses the call sign "squirrel" to identify himself to others when flying and says he learned to control a helicopter before he could drive.

He claims he is waiting for approval from the Care Quality Commission before upgrading the bike to run on blue lights.

Now he is trying to raise money via grant matching to ultimately purchase two helicopters to use as air ambulances.

William Eakin was arrested at his home in Captains Close, Swaffham. (Image: Supplied)

However, last month the 41-year-old was arrested at his home in Swaffham on suspicion of fraud by false representation, impersonating a medical professional and possession of a class C drug.

He claims officers seized his motorbike as well as medicines for pain relief stored inside it, including Entonox, Penthrox and Maloxin.

The police also took his phone, iPad, stethoscope and even his motorcycle boots.

Mr Eakin said his bail conditions meant he was unable to wear his charitable trust uniform - an outfit decorated with colourful patches, including a unicorn, teddy bear and rocket ship.

The custom uniform also features a patch of Where’s Wally? on the left shoulder, which Mr Eakin says encourages children to play a game and helps distract them while he inserts a catheter into a blood vessel.

His aim is to acquire two HX-50 helicopters, at an estimated cost of £1m, to support children across the UK and eventually in Ukraine.

But Mr Eakin has now been barred from possessing medical equipment that has not been prescribed to him.

A spokeswoman for Norfolk Police said: “A man in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation, pretending to be registered by taking the name or title of a medical practitioner and possession of a class C drug.

“He was taken to King’s Lynn Police Investigation Centre for questioning and has since been released on bail until September 8.”

Mr Eakin in his "charitable trust uniform", which he is no longer allowed to wear. (Image: Supplied)

Mr Eakin has denied the allegations and said he is a fully qualified Emergency Medical Technician - often abbreviated to EMT - who is legally permitted to carry and administer several drugs under a contract with a medical trust.

He said the organisation -  which has no connection to the National Children’s Air Ambulance - is a charitable trust registered in the Isle of Man, where he says he has provided medical assistance to injured children at the TT motorcycle race.

Mr Eakin claims he has also provided assistance at the Sandringham Game and Country Fair and the 'SENCO high‑dependency unit' at Nelson Academy in Downham Market, and offered free practical skills training at the Oasis Centre - a church in Swaffham.

However, they say they have no record of Mr Eakin being involved with their organisations.

A spokeswoman for the Eastern Multi‑Academy Trust, which runs Nelson Academy, said the school had no record of a William Eakin ever being on site and that a 'SENCO high‑dependency unit' does not exist at the school.

Jude Henson, youth leader and administrator at the Oasis Centre, said: “From speaking to other staff at the Oasis Centre who have been in position for over 10 years, as far as we know, William Eakin has not run any sort of skills workshops at the Oasis Centre, Swaffham.”

Bosses at TT Races have been contacted for comment.

Mr Eakin and his bike, which was seized by police. (Image: Supplied)

Mr Eakin said: “I have a massive printout of qualifications. I've got to have 150 right here in front of me.

“That’s all [the police] have got to look at.

“We were sole trading until June 15. You don't need to be a charity, you don't need to be a charitable trust, a limited company, you don't need to be a hero, anything like that.

“If you want to help people, just help people. If you’re qualified to help people and you can do it under the law, help people. And that’s what I’ve been doing for years.

“This was the first contact I’d had with the police. They didn't even say: 'Oh, hi, you're claiming to be the Children's Air Ambulance Service, could you show us proof of that, could you show us your medical qualifications?'

“There was no prewarning. They just turned up and seized everything and arrested me.

"They also seized a folder from the back of the vehicle, which had all my qualifications for all the drugs. So I’ve printed them all off again."