Nurses had to restrain patient in A&E unit

NURSES in the A&E unit at Portlaoise hospital had to restrain a highly intoxicated patient, when he began shouting and roaring and wildly flailing his arms.

Portlaoise District Court heard that the 47-year-old “was in a very dark place” and was rushed to hospital by emergency services after taking a lot of tablets.

Patrick Carty, Dublin Road, Athy, Co Kildare pleaded guilty to intoxication and threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour as a result of the incident. He had 67 previous convictions for a variety of offences.

Sgt Jason Hughes said gardaí were called to the emergency department on 11 January 2024. When they arrived, they saw a man being restrained by nurses as he was highly intoxicated and flailing his arms around.

Judge Andrew Cody commented: “Hospital staff don’t have to put up with that kind of behaviour.” Defending solicitor Aonghus McCarthy said that his client had a longstanding alcohol addiction that led to marital difficulties, but he managed to get sober and was welcomed back into the family home.

He had suffered many tragedies in his life and ended up in the hospital A&E unit on the night in question, when he was in a very dark place and took a lot of tablets.

The solicitor said: “Luckily, the gardaí and ambulance services were on hand, as otherwise he might not be here today.” The solicitor explained that Mr Carty was not in court when his case was called earlier that morning, because he had just heard that his cousin had passed away. Judge Cody had issued a bench warrant for his arrest when he failed to appear, having convicted him in his absence and imposed a three-month prison sentence.

After his client arrived in court, Mr McCarthy asked the judge to consider suspending the jail sentence.

Cancelling the bench warrant, Judge Cody suspended the three-month sentence for one year and imposed a €300 fine for threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, with the second charge taken into consideration.