A man who abused ambulance staff and then nurses and doctors at Letterkenny University Hospital after taking part in a ‘shots promotion’ with friends has been jailed for three months.
Richard Rice appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with a number of incidents.
The court was told that Rice, of Fairgreen, Letterkenny, had been struck outside Voodoo Nightclub.
He had been put into an ambulance for treatment but became abusive to ambulance personnel.
He was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital but began to abuse staff there also.
Garda Inspector Barry Doyle told the court how Rice kept jumping off the bed in the treatment room.
At one stage he called a doctor a “bald Aborigine f*****er” and then called a nurse an “ugly bi***.”
Solicitor for the accused, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said Rice and his friends had been out with friends and had drunk “copious amounts” of shots in a two for one promotion.
“He was totally palatic,” said the solicitor.
The court heard that Rice, a 25-year-old father-of-one, had 27 previous convictions including nine for public order and eight for burglary as well as another for drink-driving.
Mr Gallagher added “He apologises profusely and has no recollection. His comments were totally inappropriate and he is disgusted by his behaviour.”
He asked Judge Paul Kelly if he would consider getting a probation report on Rice and allow his client to make recompense to medical staff for his behaviour.
But Judge Kelly refused saying “He has been treated relatively leniently in the past. It is unacceptable to treat hospital staff and Gardai like that.”
He sentenced Rice to a total of three months in prison and also fined him €250.