Intoxicated Derry woman who punched pregnant woman in the ribs at Altnagelvin Hospital sentenced

Anna Kopel (41) of Aberfoyle Terrace in Derry admitted three charges of assault that took place in the A&E department on January 3 this year.

The court heard that police were called to the hospital to a report that an intoxicated female had assaulted a patient.

When they arrived, the complainant told them that she was 17 weeks pregnant and was in A&E when a woman, the defendant, pushed her and then punched her in the ribs 'three or four times'.

A second person then told police that a drunk female had tried to sit on his knee and when he tried to stop her she had grabbed his hair.

A woman then told police she had seen a female 'stagger past her' and fall onto a man.

She then sat beside this injured party and then grabbed her by the coat, leaving her 'in shock'.

At interview Kopel told police she had drunk about four bottles of wine that day, and usually drank between one and five bottles of wine a day.

Kopel said she had 'a foggy memory' as regards the incidents.

She said she could not remember assaulting anyone but accepted she could be 'aggressive' when drunk.

Deputy District Judge John Connolly said that these offences took place in hospital with 'vulnerable people' involved.

He said that if it had not been for what he had read in the pre-sentence report it would have been immediate custody.

Instead, he sentenced Kopel to 12 months suspended for three years.