A woman who assaulted a nurse in Noble’s Hospital’s A&E has been handed a suspended sentence.

Alison Beckley, of Waverley Terrace, in Douglas, hit the nurse four times during the incident on November 8.

Prosecutor Barry Swain said police were called to Ballaquayle Road, in Douglas, on November 8 to a report that Beckley was drunk.

She was struggling to stand and had fallen over, banging her head before police arrived. She became unresponsive while being questioned and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

Police were later called to Noble’s after concerns about Beckley’s behaviour and found her being restrained by staff. She had tried to enter a private room and been stopped by a nurse who put his arm across the door.

Beckley hit him on the thigh with a back-handed clenched fist, which he thought had been aimed at his groin.

She then hit him three more times with a fist on his arms as he kept telling her to calm down.

Beckley had no recollection of the incident on Ballaquayle Road or at A & E.

Beckley admitted a separate charge of being drunk and incapable on October 17.

She was taken to hospital after police found her drunk in the road with a dog. And she admitted stealing a bottle of vodka from the Duke Street Co-Op on October 30.

Kelly Towland, from Mental Health Services, said she had known Beckley for several years and that the number of incidents involving her had reduced significantly.

Ms Towland said since the incident, Beckley had tried very hard to work with Mental Health Services and had successfully detoxed with the Drug and Alcohol Team.

Advocate Rebecca Cubbon described the case as ’an incredibly sad story’.

’Ms Beckley clearly does have an alcohol problem,’ said the advocate. ’She wishes me to express her apologies to the nurse and the police.’

Beckley was sentenced to 16 weeks’ custody, suspended for two years, and fined £100 for each offence of being drunk and incapable.

She was banned from buying or being sold alcohol for two years and must pay £500 compensation to the nurse.