Suspended sentence for hospital disorderly

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

Defence counsel, Nicki Rountree, told Derry Magistrate’s Court her client was attending hospital on a regular basis during this period because his partner was ‘heavily pregnant with twins’.

She said that this was a ‘difficult time’ for the 32-year-old and he was under a lot of stress because of problems with the pregnancy.

Ms. Rountree added that there were ongoing issues between a hospital employee and Scarlett and his regular attendance at Altnagelvin led to an ‘unfortunate encounter’ with this man.

The barrister said these difficulties have been ongoing for a number of years and ‘these two men cannot meet without an altercation of some description’.

It was revealed the 32-year-old has 209 previous convictions.

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

He also imposed a restraining order which bans the 32-year-old from harassing, threatening, molesting, intimidating or assaulting the hospital employee for two years.