Man fined for threatening behaviour at Mercy hospital in Cork

Public order disturbances are much worse when they occur in hospitals where vulnerable people are caused more distress, a district judge said yesterday.

Judge Leo Malone made the comment at Cork District Court yesterday in a case against Stuart Donovan of 199, Farranferris Avenue, Farranree.

Donovan had pleaded guilty to being drunk and a danger, and engaging in threatening behaviour, at the accident and emergency unit of the Mercy University Hospital on November 21.

Inspector Fergal Foley told the court the accused was extremely abusive to nurses at the emergency department of the hospital. When the gardaí arrived he also became abusive to them.

He told medical staff and gardaí on the night to fuck off. Eventually he had to be arrested and removed from the area.

He had 14 previous convictions, mainly for public order offences.

Judge Malone said: “These things are exacerbated when they occur in hospitals where there are a lot of vulnerable people and it causes a lot of distress to people in this vulnerable position.”

Donal Daly, solicitor, said the accused had been doing very well in staying off alcohol but broke out on that particular day, following a domestic row.

The next day he went back to the hospital and sought out the gardaí to apologise in person for his behaviour.

Judge Malone imposed a suspended two-month jail sentence on him for being threatening and abusive and fined him €250 for being drunk and a danger.