Woman (24) receives suspended sentence for incident outside Altnagelvin
Jessica Friel was charged with assaulting police and disorderly behaviour outside Altnagelvin Hospital
A woman has been given a suspended sentence at Derry Magistrates Court for assaulting police and disorderly behaviour outside Altnagelvin Hospital.
Jessica Friel (24) of Fergleen Mews in Derry was charged with the offences that took place on September 23 last year.
The court heard that police were parked in an ambulance bay outside the hospital with a vulnerable patient in the car when Friel got out from an ambulance, giving police the finger and shouting abuse.
Friel then tried to get into the police car on several occasions causing great distress to the patient.
Police arrested her and she proceeded to kick one of the officers.
Defence Barrister Fergal McCormick told the court that the incident was a 'perfect storm' of substance abuse and Friel not being able to contact her son on his birthday.
He added that she herself was in a vulnerable state but that she has since reached out to multiple organisations for help.
He also said that she is not a repeat offender and that her last relevant offence was in 2017, telling the court that she has no desire to repeat the incident.
She was sentenced to four months in custody, suspended for two years and ordered to pay £400 to the Friends of Altnagelvin charity.