Inverness man spared jail after coughing in nurse's face
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A 39-YEAR-OLD single parent who coughed in a nurse’s face was spared a jail sentence when he appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Sara Matheson was told that police officers were called to the A&E department of Raigmore Hospital to deal with an unresponsive man in the waiting room.
Christopher Ross, of Wade Circle, Inverness, would not engage with officers or staff, refusing to divulge his personal information on May 22, 2020.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir told the court: “He was causing issues for staff and the police.
“He was asked a few questions to help him but he refused to speak to anyone.
“Then he lay down on a chair.
“A staff nurse tried to engage him in conversation but he reacted to being touched, stood up, stared at the nurse and then coughed in his face.”
He added: “No spittle landed on the nurse.”
Ross admitted culpable and reckless conduct and was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work.
He was also placed under social work supervision for a period of one year.
Defence solicitor Willie Young said that his client had been “fairly troubled and was self-medicating at the time” but was not under the influence of any substances at the hospital.
The lawyer added: “He has now addressed his drug issues himself.
“But in the months prior to this incident, he was struggling to put things into perspective, there were concerns about his young son and he was not looking after himself.
“This was a cry for help and he went to A&E. But he refused to engage.
“He acknowledges his actions in the midst of the pandemic inconvenienced and alarmed staff.
“But there has been an improvement in his circumstances and he has been out of trouble since.”
After Mr Young’s plea and perusing a background report, Sheriff Matheson said: “The emergency services and health care staff deserve the protection of the court.
“But there is an alternative to custody here.”
