Alcoholic admits nurse assault
Editorial Department • Published 4 Oct 2012 13:00
A 33-year-old alcoholic assaulted a nurse who was treating him for a drugs overdose and put her off work for three months, Fermanagh Court has heard.
Brian Cassidy, of Main Street, Irvinestown, shoved the nurse out of his way and into a metal cabinet as he tried to escape from police at the Erne Hospital.
He admitted assaulting the nurse but insisted it was accidental.
"I wouldn't intentionally try to hurt a nurse or anyone else who was trying to help me," Cassidy told the police.
"I have an alcohol addiction problem but I would never hurt anybody," he added.
A prosecutor had described how Cassidy was arrested on November 1, last year, in relation to a domestic matter. He told police he had taken an overdose of paracetamol and as a result was taken to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Erne Hospital. He was accompanied by two officers. He was sitting on a bed when he suddenly jumped up and ran through the Accident and Emergency Department to try and escape from the police. As he ran through the hospital he bumped into the nurse who had been treating him, pushing her out of his way and into a metal cabinet. She was not injured but suffered tenderness and was off work until February of this year.
The court heard that Cassidy was detained by the police. He told them it was not a personal attack on the nurse but accepted he had struck her.
"It would be accepted by the prosecution that it was reckless rather than intentional," said the prosecutor.
Defence barrister, Miss Heather Philips, said Cassidy told police he had consumed an excess amount of paracetamol and was taken to the hospital. He wasn't being aggressive. The nurse who had been assessing him was in front of the door at the exit and according to the hospital notes Cassidy was simply trying to escape police custody.
"There's no reference to any assault per se," said Miss Philips.
District Judge Liam McNally told Cassidy it was a very serious charge, and even though the assault was reckless rather than deliberate, "you are still at risk of losing your liberty".
The court heard that Cassidy had been put on probation on July 23, in relation to another matter.
The District Judge adjourned sentencing until October 29, explaining that he wanted a report on how Cassidy was doing on probation.
"You may have some chance of avoiding a custodial sentence if I get a report that you are doing well," he stated.
This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 04 Oct 12
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