A patient in Craigavon Area Hospital who picked up a needle from a blood tray and threatened to “stick it” in the eye of a staff member has been jailed.
Jason Patrick Toal (33), of Culdee Drive in Armagh city, also lifted a person’s walking stick and swung it towards the heads of two nurses.
He was shouting and cursing, swinging the walking stick at head height towards the nurses and then had thrown the walking stick at security officers and it hit a glass door.
He had been aggressive towards staff throughout the night and despite being asked to calm down he was following staff as they attended to other patients.
He was eventually restrained by security during the incident on April 5 last year, Craigavon Magistrates’ was told.
Toal also admitted three assaults which happened in hospital on January 28 this year.
A female nurse was assaulted by the defendant whilst attempting to treat him. The defendant had to be restrained by security staff.
The defendant had been wandering around a ward and twice slapped a nurse in the face.
He tried to punch two other staff members.
A defence lawyer said the defendant, an alcoholic, had spent time in custody on remand.
The defendant was given a five months prison term.
He was also given a five months prison term, suspended for two years.
