Sexually assaulted nurse in Altnagelvin

A 38-years-old man who sexually assaulted a nurse and urinated towards her and another nurse in Altnagelvin Hospital, has received a suspended sentence.
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Dermot McClintock will also be subject to the notification requirements of the sex offenders register for seven years.

McClintock, of Barnewall Place, pleaded guilty to sexual assault, exposure and disorderly behaviour on June 18.

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Derry Magistrate’s Court heard that police were called to the Accident and Emergency Department shortly after 9pm to reports of sexual assault and disorderly behaviour.

It was reported that McClintock was intoxicated and required constant supervision. He made a number of sexually suggestive comments towards two nurses, calling them ‘beautiful and sexy’ and ‘boasting about the size of his manhood.’

The defendant also asked the nurses to get into bed with him.

The court was told he attempted to reach out and grab one of the nurse’s legs and then asked to use the toilet.

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One of the nurses left the cubicle to get the defendant a bottle and he tried to grab the other nurse on the breast.

Both nurses left the cubicle to allow McClintock some privacy, however, he called out for help a short time later and they both re-entered the cubicle.

The court was told McClintock was touching his penis under clothing and said to the nurses: ‘I need you to hold it’.

He continued to ‘boast about the size of his member’ before taking his penis out of his trousers and urinating in the direction of the nurses.

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When police officers arrived the defendant told them to ‘f*** off’ and he had to be restrained.

During police interview, McClintock apologised for his behaviour and asked for his apology to be passsed onto the nurses involved.

He had no recollection of the incident and claimed he had been drinking Aftershock and that ‘may have affected his memory and caused him to behave out of character.’

Defence cousnel Steven Mooney told the court his client has no previous convictions for anything of a violent or sexual nature or for public order offences.

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He said that McClintock has ‘significant physical and mental health issues’ and would be in regular attendance at the hospital and has ‘never exhibited behaviour of this particular type.’

The barrister said his client was ‘disgusted with himself’ and has the ‘utmost respect for the nurses who are there to do a job, not to witness behaviour like this’.

Mr Mooney said his client had instructed him to apologise again to the nurses.

He added that the ‘stigma’ of appearing on the Sex Offenders Register is a punishment in itself for McClintock, who ‘knows he has done a considerable wrong.’

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Suspending a four months sentence for two years, Deputy District Judge Noel Dunlop said the court ‘cannot condone this sort of behaviour under any circumstances, particularly in a hospital where the staff deserve the utmost respect.’