Woman attacked A&E nurse and security man

Eddie the Miniature Schnauzer sat by the side of 51-year-old deaf woman Tracey Curtis as she pleaded guilty to assaulting two nurses and a security officer at hospital accident and emergency unit.

Curtis of King Edward Avenue, North Shore, was placed on a 56 day curfew and pay a total of £300 to her victims.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, at Blackpool Magistrates Court told District Judge Jeff Brailsford that the assaults had taken place at Cheltenham General Hospital, Gloucestershire in July last year.

Curtis had gone into the Accident and Emergency department asking for pain killers. She was given medication and told to leave after they started to take effect.

She was seen leaving the hospital with a walking frame she was not entitled to remove.

An argument began with a nurse and Curtis scratched her arm leave a scar,swore at her and kicked her leg.

Curtis also spat at the nurse.

She then kicked the leg of a security officer who tried to intervene and then did the same to senior nurse Kate Treadgold.

The prosecutor said the security man had to take two days off work as a result of his injury which was made worse because the defendant was wearing a medical boot on her foot at the time.

When she was questioned by police Curtis said she had lost her temper because nurse Jones had told her she was not having a fit.

Gary McAnulty, defending, said: “This is a very difficult case as the court can see Miss Curtis is deaf and has a hearing dog to assist her through life.

“She accepts she did the wrong thing after she became angry when she was told she was not epileptic. She did not like being called a liar.

“She was told by the police she would get a caution for what she has done but then she got s summons through the post after the Crown Prosecution Service decided to take action against her.

“That upset her.”

Sentencing her the judge said: “I cannot give you a conditional discharge as that would send out the wrong message to the public.

“However you are not fit to do unpaid work. Hospital staff are there to help you and help others .

“I accept that daily life must be difficult for you but there must be a punishment.”