Drunk patient shoved policeman at city A&E unit
A DRUNK patient who was “causing mayhem” at Morriston Hospital has been jailed for pushing a policeman who was trying to calm him down.
A district judge told him the courts had a duty to protect health service staff.
Swansea Magistrates’ Court heard an intoxicated Callum James Booth was taken to Morriston A&E around midnight on October 7.
Abdul Hussain, prosecuting, said the 20-year-old was “shouting, swearing and being abusive” to staff in the unit.
When attempts to calm him down failed, staff asked police to attend.
The court heard Booth’s abusive and aggressive behaviour continued – despite repeated attempts by the officer to calm him. The defendant then pushed the policeman in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards.
Booth, of Vivian Street, Hafod, Swansea, pleaded guilty to assaulting a Pc when he appeared before district judge David Parsons, sitting at the magistrates’ court.
The court heard three days after the incident, Booth was given a community order for an earlier offence of stealing a ring from his grandmother.
Grayson Tanner, for Booth, said: “I am sure had he not been under the influence, he would not have behaved in the way he did.”
The district judge said the startingpoint for sentence was 26 weeks’ prison – reduced to 14 weeks to give Booth credit for his guilty plea. The defendant will serve half that time in custody.