A woman who racially abused and swore at a nurse at the hospital has been fined £500.
Lucy Ashton, of Westhill Avenue, Castletown, demanded to see ’an English-speaking nurse’ at Accident and Emergency then refused to leave in a taxi but the driver wasn’t ’speaking English’.
Ashton called the nurse vile names after arriving at A & E in an ambulance.
She admitted an offence of threatening behaviour and High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told the 41-year-old that if she had been charged with an imprisonable offence she would have jailed her.
Ashton was also ordered to pay the nurse £100 compensation.
Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that Ashton was taken to A & E at 10.50pm on December 4 due to what was thought to be a finger injury.
She was said to be unsteady on her feet and smelling of alcohol and was carrying two bottles of wine with her.
Ashton complained she had not been helped with her finger and then said she may have coronavirus.
The wine was taken off her, which prompted her to abuse the nurse and swear before grabbing the wine back.
She went to get changed but staff then found one of the wine bottles was now three quarters empty.
Ashton continued her abuse calling the nurse ’careless’ and again used an abusive term.
She then demanded to see an ’English-speaking nurse’ as she continued swearing.
She was deemed fit to be discharged but then told staff where to go and said she would leave when she wanted to.
A taxi was called for her but Ashton then started abusing the driver so a second taxi had to be called.
She then refused to get in the second taxi saying: ’He isn’t speaking English,’ before ringing a taxi herself and asking for ’an English-speaking driver’.
Ashton continued to use an abusive word and when police arrived began to scream ’rape’ as she was arrested.
After being taken to police headquarters she was later interviewed and insisted she had not been drunk. She denied making racist comments saying that she had a mixed-race child.
Ashton told police she could get a ’bit arsy’ and that after two glasses of wine things became hazy.
High Bailiff Mrs Hughes questioned why Ashton had been taken to hospital in an ambulance for a cut finger.
Ashton said she had also been suffering from hypoxia.
Defence advocate Paul Glover said that there was no medical evidence to support this but asked for credit to be given as this was his client’s first offence of this nature.
Mr Glover said that Ashton had since taken a letter of apology and a box of chocolates to the nurse at the hospital.
The advocate said: ’She is disgusted and ashamed of her actions and accepts she had been drinking alcohol. She informs me she takes medication which she should not have been while drinking alcohol.
’A valuable lesson has been learnt. Ms Ashton appreciates everything that was trying to be done for her. This has been a stark wake-up call.’
High Bailiff Jayne Hughes referred to Ashton’s letter in which she had said she was ’completely out of order’ and ’a trying woman’.
Mrs Hughes told her: ’You were an unpleasant and racist woman. Your behaviour was nothing short of appalling.’
Ashton was also banned from buying or being sold alcohol for one month and ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs.
She will pay the fine, compensation and costs at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.