Craigavon Area Hospital staff deny charges in relation to care of mental health patient
Two hospital employees have denied charges of wilfully ill treating and neglecting a man receiving mental health inpatient treatment.
Standing side by side in the dock of Craigavon Crown Court, 45-year-old Marta Bielah-Lukasik and Talmia Tomy (33) entered not guilty pleas to the single charges against them.
While the charges relate to the same complainant on a date between August 2-5, 2022, Bielah-Lukasik, from Carnreagh Park, Craigavon faces a charge of ill treating the male patient and Tomy, from Princess Way in Portadown, is accused of wilfully neglecting the patient.
The other common feature between the two charges is that the alleged victim “lacked capacity” and was “receiving treatment for a mental disorder…at Craigavon Hospital Ward 3 South”.
Prosecuting counsel Joseph Murphy said, given the denials, he would be obtaining medical reports regarding injuries sustained by the patient.
Freeing the two women on continuing bail, Judge Patrick McGurgen scheduled the trial to begin on October 13 with a review of the case on June 13.