Man jailed for abusing staff at King's Lynn hospital
A drunk Lynn man who was unruly before staff and patients at the town’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital for up to an hour will spend Christmas in prison.
Adrian Mitchell was swearing, shouting and using threatening behaviour after being taken to hospital by ambulance following a fall in town in the early hours of Saturday.
Mitchell, 51, appeared before Lynn magistrates in custody yesterday, where he pleaded guilty to a public order offence.
He also admitted breaching a suspended eight-week sentence imposed in March for criminal damage.
Prosecutor Jane Walker told the court that Mitchell had been shouting and swearing as soon as he arrived at hospital at 3.15am on Saturday, and swore at a nurse.
She said: “She noted him to be clearly intoxicated. The defendant told the nurse he had drunk a litre of vodka.”
Security officers were called and he swore at them too. Mitchell said he wanted to self-harm, before then saying he wanted to go for a cigarette.
Miss Walker said: “He continued to be abusive and police were eventually called. He was told police had been called and squared up to security and threatened to punch them.”
The court was told that other patients present complained about Mitchell’s behaviour, which lasted for between 45 minutes and an hour.
Andrew Spence, mitigating, said his client describes himself as a chronic alcoholic, who started drinking at the age of 10. As a result, his physical and mental health had suffered.
Mitchell has tried to address his “lifelong battle” by registering with drug and alcohol service provider CGL.
Mr Spence added: “He recollects very little of the incident. He accepts fully what is said about his conduct by witnesses.
"Through me, he wants to apologise to the staff and other witnesses. He’s ashamed of his behaviour.”
Magistrates activated the suspended prison sentence but reduced the term to six weeks as nine months of the 12-month suspension had elapsed.
Mitchell, of Highgate, was also given a six-week sentence for the public order offence, to run concurrently, and ordered to pay £100 compensation to the QEH nurse involved.
