Drunk Castledawson man found at side of Glenshane Pass later put hospital doctor in fear of assault
A drunk man who was taken to hospital after being found at the side of the road on the Glenshane Pass put a doctor in fear of assault.
Dean Booth (29), of Moyola Gardens in Castledawson, was sentenced on an assault charge and for being in possession of methylmethcathinone on August 12 last year.
Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, was told the defendant had a previous record.
A prosecutor said police received a report of an "aggressive and intoxicated patient" in the Emergency Department.
A doctor said the defendant "got up in his face" putting him in fear of being assaulted. The doctor saw suspected drugs fall from the defendant's pocket.
The defendant has penned a letter of apology to the doctor.
A defence lawyer said the defendant was well aware of the "dim view" courts take of such incidents in hospitals.
He said the defendant had been out for the evening and had too much to drink and had "little memory" of what happened.
"He was found at the side of the road on the Glenshane Pass" and "taken to hospital as a patient by ambulance".
The defendant was not aware who had found him or how he came to be in hospital, it was said.
The lawyer said his client said he had been "given something" to revive him after being unconscious in an ambulance and when he "woke up acted entirely erratically".
He said it was a "technical assault" but added: "The court will still take a very dim view of any form of assault, even technical, on a hard working public servant".
District Judge Nigel Broderick said that normally for such an offence courts will consider immediate jail.
Whilst there had been no physical assault he told the defendant: "I have no doubt the doctor and those present in the hospital would have been very concerned and apprehensive about your inappropriate behaviour."
The judge noted that what appeared to be a "heartfelt" letter of apology would be passed on to the doctor.
The judge said Community Service is a "direct alternative" to prison and ordered the defendant to do 180 hours Community Service.