The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Man left three nurses injured after violent incident at hospital
COURT: NHS staff attacked after patient given medication to help him calm down
A violent man who attacked four nurses and left three of them injured has been jailed for nine months.
Daniel Whyte, 25, broke the ribs of registered nurse Robert Sinclair as he brawled with staff at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth in September 2017.
He sparked the incident by throwing a glass of water in nurse Caitlin Green’s face when she gave him medication to calm him down.
He elbowed Kerry Bowler in the head and grabbed Dean Sinclair’s bicep so hard he was forced to release his grip on the accused.
Depute fiscal Laura Hogg told Dundee Sheriff Court yesterday: “He was being observed in a side room.
“He was asked if he required medication to calm down and he stated he did. He was handed medication and a glass of water.
“The accused then threw the water directly in the face of witness Green.”
“One of my main concerns was that you should be supervised to protect the public.
SHERIFF WOOD
The nurse pressed her attack alarm and several other members of staff arrived and managed to get Whyte down on to the hospital floor to try to control him, during which time he struck other nurses.
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said Whyte had been going through a difficult period and was still continuing to struggle with mental health issues.
Whyte of Princes Street, Perth, admitted four charges of assaulting nursing staff at the hospital on September 2 2017 and admitted injuring both male nurses.
The court was told there had been delays in bringing the matter to court. Whyte also admitted breaching a supervised release order imposed in a separate case.
He had been jailed for 80 weeks in May last year for assaulting one woman at knifepoint during a robbery bid and robbing a second stranger.
Part of his sentence was nine months’ supervised release and he admitted breaching its terms yesterday.
Sheriff William Wood jailed Whyte for nine months and said: “One of my main concerns was that you should be supervised to protect the public.”
Whyte also has another previous conviction for attacking a nurse by punching him on the head.