Addict jailed over Raigmore disruption
A drug addict who caused disruption twice at Raigmore Hospital when admitted having taking overdoses was jailed for 16 months for these and other offences at Inverness Sheriff Court on Thursday (January 22).
Inverness Sheriff Court heard Daniel McCafferty (24), a prisoner at Inverness, was taken to Raigmore about 5.20pm on November 28 having consumed diazepam.
He was placed in a cubicle and depute fiscal Stella Swann said he became aggressive towards a doctor, lashing out with his arms and hands.
Sheriff David Sutherland heard McCafferty was awaiting the second stage of his assessment for a drug treatment testing order when he was again admitted to Raigmore Hospital on January 12 following a paracetamol overdose.
He shouted and swore at staff calling one nurse a bitch and other staff idiots and lashed out kicking equipment being used for his treatment.
The fiscal said staff were afraid to enter his room at one stage and security personnel were called. In one of the wards where he was being treated she said there were five other patients and one of them was extremely ill.
He admitted charges of assaulting, obstructing or hindering a doctor on November 28 by lashing out towards him and shouting and swearing and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at the hospital on January 12 and further offences including behaving in an abusive and threatening manner shouting and swearing at staff outside Tesco’s store in King Street on June 30, 2014 and towards staff at Eildon House, High Street in the city on August 25.
Mr Willie Young solicitor said it was a pity McCafferty had committed the offence on January 12 because he was considered suitable for a drug treatment testing order which would have been an alternative to custody.
Mr Young said he couldn’t even remember being in hospital on either occasion.
“He apologises and acknowledges his behaviour was completely unacceptable.”
Sheriff Sutherland said he had no option but to impose a custodial sentence.
He jailed him for a total of 16 months.
