A NORTH Belfast man who verbally abused a nurse at the Mater Hospital avoided jail today after a six months sentence was suspended for two years.
Daniel John Waller was warned by the sentencing judge that the courts in Northern Ireland took a "zero tolerance" approach to members of the public abusing hospital staff.
Waller (28), of Upper Crumlin Road, pleaded guilty at Belfast Magistrates' Court to a single charge of disorderly behaviour.
A prosecution lawyer told the court that on December 6 last year police arrested Waller and took him to Musgrave Street Police Station for questioning about an unrelated matter.
He was later taken to the Mater Hospital for treatment to an injury to his hand and it was during this treatment that had to be restrained.
District Judge Philip Mateer was told that Waller - who has 44 offences on his criminal record - became verbally abusive towards staff.
At 3am the following morning, he was arrested for disorderly behaviour and in reply to the charge he said: "I didn't do f*** all at the hospital."
Defence solicitor Billy McNulty told the court that following the incident Waller apologised to the nurse he had verbally abused. "He said sorry to her afterwards", the solicitor said.
He told the court that in March this year Waller had overdosed on tablets and was taken to the Mater Hospital where he was put in an "induced coma" and remained on a life support machine for ten days.
Waller was subsequently transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital where it was discovered that he had suffered a stroke and had paralysis down his left arm and left leg. Mr McNulty said: "It was a life changing moment for him. He is now a chastened man.''
The defence solicitor said Waller now appreciated the work that the hospital staff had done for him since his tablet overdose.
District Judge Mateer said that Waller was currently the subject of a four month suspended sentence for other matters.
He said that the custody threshold had been met but added Waller would received a lesser sentence because of his guilty plea.
"Our courts have a zero tolerance towards staff being verbally abused in hospital areas," said District Judge Mateer.
Suspending his six month sentence for two years, the district judge told Waller: "You have another four month suspended sentence and that makes ten months.
"If you commit any further offences in the next two years, you are going straight into custody for ten months. There is absolutely no doubt about that," he added.
