Woman pulled hair from nurse’s head

27-year-old Sheree Gilmore of Drumtarsey Road, appeared before District Judge Bates at North Antrim Magistrates’ Court on Monday, charged with two counts of common assault.

The charges date back to February 2008, when Gilmore attended the Causeway Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department with her sister.

Court heard that the defendant grabbed a staff nurse pulling strands of hair out of the nurse’s head. She then stuck the nurse a number of times with her clenched fist. When another nurse came along to help the victim, Gilmore struck her too.

Gilmore, had originally been charged with more serious offences, however the charges were reduced to common assault.

Her solicitor, Garrett Greene, told the court that his client had ‘no recollection’ of the her behaviour. Mr Greene said that a pre sentence report outlined Gilmore’s honesty in her battles with substance and alcohol abuse.

The solicitor added that the defendant, who resides at home with her mother, wished to apologise to the hospital staff.

Referring to Gilmore’s record, District Judge Bates pointed out that since the incident, back in 2008, Gilmore had been before the court several times. He referred to a probation report which stated that the defendant showed a ‘high risk’ of re offending.

Before sentencing Gilmore, Judge Bates pointed out that the injured parties in the case had been providing a service to the public at their place of work. He said: “I don’t intend to allow nurses, doctors or paramedics to suffer, and the courts must act robustly.

He sentenced Gilmore to four months on each of the charges.

The defendant was released on her own bail of £250 on appeal.