A 56-year-old road crash victim has admitted attacking a nurse at the South West Acute Hospital at Enniskillen.

Michael Perry grabbed the nurse’s identity badge from the breast pocket of her tunic and shouted abuse at her.

He was given 40 hours of community service and ordered to pay her “token” compensation of £250.

A prosecutor told Fermanagh Court that at 8.20pm on April 27, police went to the hospital following a report that a male patient was behaving aggressively. The officers spoke to a night sister who told them Perry had grabbed her identification badge from the breast pocket of her tunic. He was shouting and being abusive towards her.

Perry was arrested and admitted grabbing the badge but said the damage caused was not intentional.

A defence solicitor said Perry, from Edward Street, Downpatrick, was a man who had turned his life around and contributed positively to the community. His behaviour was completely out of character and he has expressed his remorse. He had been in a car crash and had a pain in his back and a broken arm. He grabbed the badge to try and establish the name of the nurse.

Deputy District Judge Liam McStay said the court always regarded such incidents very seriously, especially when nurses were involved, and had to consider all options, including prison. The court could not but be impressed by the way Perry has faced the considerable difficulties in his life. However, it remained a serious matter.

He said he did not want to “de-rail” Perry in his lifestyle but to ask him to give something more to the community through 40 hours of unpaid work for the benefit of the community.