Derry man convicted of disorderly behaviour in Altnagelvin Hospital jailed
James Kelly from Rinmore Drive was initially sentenced to five months imprisonment in his absence in January but when he appealed against the sentence at the Bishop Street County Court the sentence was reduced by one month
A 36-year-old Derry man, who was convicted in January of this year of committing disorderly behaviour in Altnagelvin Hospital's accident and emergency ward last June, has been jailed for four months.
James Kelly from Rinmore Drive was initially sentenced to five months imprisonment in his absence in January but when he appealed against the sentence at the Bishop Street County Court the sentence was reduced by one month.
Judge Neil Rafferty K.C. told Kelly: "The public policy is that deterrent sentences are put in place for offences in some locations, one of which is in a hospital setting. The reality is your behaviour on that day was absolutely disgraceful in an area which must be protected by public policy.
"Anyone who commits violence in a hospital, particularly in an accident and emergency setting where people go because they are hurting, they are sick or injured or tragically in some cases, such is the state of the NHS, where some people are going there to experience their last moments and you then behave in such a disgraceful manner, that requires a very clear message go to out, not just to punish you but also to deter others from such behaviour in an accident and emergency setting, that they will go to jail".
Earlier a prosecution barrister told the court that on June 20 of last year Kelly was brought to the hospital by police officers who were concerned about his wellbeing. He'd been arrested after the police found a case containing 15 pregabalin tablets close to where Kelly was standing in Guildhall Square.
When he was approached by the police Kelly became irate, swinging his arms towards the officers and clenching his jaw. He was handcuffed and on the way to hospital in a police car he tried to bite one of the officers.
"While in the accident and emergency department he continually shouted abuse and foul language at the doctors and nurses telling them to f**k off. On several occasions he tried to assault the officers lashing out at them and attempting to bite one of them", the prosecutor said.