Court hears homeless woman (63) was found sleeping in an 'off limits' room at a hospital
A homeless woman was found sleeping in an "off limits" hospital room, a court has heard.
Details were given to a court regarding 63-year-old Roisin Hamill. Previous courts have heard that over the course of several years the defendant would "camp" in public buildings.
She was back before a court this week and she pleaded guilty to charges of being disorderly at a hospital and interfering with activities in a public building.
Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, was told that at 1.30am on February 16 this year staff at Antrim Area Hospital contacted police to move the defendant on.
She was at the Emergency Department with around 20 bags containing her belongings. Police tried to get her suitable accommodation but all suggestions were declined by the defendant. She was arrested.
Meanwhile, on May 9 this year she had refused to leave the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine and was verbally abusive to staff. Police removed her from the emergency department.
On May 10 she had re-entered the hospital and was found "asleep in a room in the hospital that was off limits". The room then "required a deep clean".
A defence solicitor said the defendant was "more to be pitied than scorned". District Judge Nigel Broderick said he was not sure if hospital staff would agree.
The defendant had 163 previous convictions including 43 for disorderly behaviour. The defence solicitor said the defendant is homeless, has mental health issues, and often goes to hospitals for "sanctuary" and is "vulnerable".
Judge Broderick said: "I have no doubt but vulnerable people don't always go to hospitals and cause problems." He said the defendant was a "troubled individual" but courts had "lost patience" with her behaviour in hospitals.
Jailing her for six months the judge told her: "The Health Service is a finite resource. The fact that you keep going back there and causing disturbance to staff and patients can no longer be tolerated."
She had bail fixed for appeal in the sum of £500.