Suspended sentence for disorderly man

The court was told there was an ongoing feud between the defendant, Gerard Scarlett (32), of Glenabbey Drive, with a staff member.

Scarlett pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour in the hospital on two separate occasions between April 22 and June 10, last year.

Defence counsel, Nicki Rountree, said her client was attending hospital on a regular basis during this period because his partner was heavily pregnant with twins and it had been a difficult time for him. He was under a lot of stress because of problems with the pregnancy.

Ms Rountree said that there were ongoing issues between a hospital employee and Scarlett and his regular attendance at Altnagelvin led to an unfortunate encounter with the staff member.

The barrister said the difficulties had been ongoing for a number of years and the two men could not meet without an altercation of some description.

The court heard that Scarlett had 209 previous convictions.

Suspending a six month sentence for two years, District Judge Barney McElholm ordered Scarlett to pay £225 in compensation to the Friends of Altnagelvin.

He also imposed a restraining order which banning Scarlett from harassing, threatening, molesting, intimidating or assaulting the staff member for two years.