A Swindon man kicked a nurse in the face after he was brought into Great Western Hospital.
36-year-old Jason Smith was found unconscious in a car park before paramedics rushed him to the town’s emergency department on 14 March this year.
At Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (7 September), prosecutor Kate Prince said the defendant, of Thornford Drive, Westlea, regained consciousness when he arrived at the hospital and became aggressive towards medical staff.
He attempted to leave, but he was restrained for his own safety as there were serious concerns for his health. As a result, he kicked out and struck the department’s sister in the arm and face with his foot.
Smith pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker.
He also admitted three other offences: two thefts in June and possession of an offensive weapon in July.
The theft cases relate to the defendant taking alcohol from Asda whilst the weapons offence relates to a stop-search undertaken by police officers who found a metal object in a sock in his pocket.
Duty solicitor Tony Nowogrodzki said his client was on a “rocky road” at the time of the incidents but claimed there “have been a few lights at the end of the tunnel”.
He said Smith had been “plagued with mental health issues” and was taking controlled substances whilst trying to “block out his mental health problems”, resulting in addiction. However, he has since obtained a methadone prescription.
It was said that on the day of the assault, he had taken illegal drugs which he believed were spiked. This resulted after he took drugs he wasn’t sure of.
Mr Nowogrodzki said the weapon found was “not something you see every day” before explaining that his client had found a magnet in a skip, but it was attracted to the metal in his pocket so he placed it into a sock.
The court heard that despite having a mass of convictions, this was his first set of violent and weapons offences.
Magistrates imposed an 18-week prison sentence before suspending it for 18 months.
“I guarantee, if you come back before us again, there will be no discussing it [prison]”, the chair of the bench exclaimed.
