Judge warns hospital row man he faces jail sentence

A festival chainsaw carver claims his aggressive behaviour in the Emergency Department at UHG was caused by a blow to the head which he got when assaulted on the way home after a drink-fuelled night out.

Jed Morgan (25), a native Cork with a rental address at 2 Glen Rua, Renmore, pleaded guilty at Galway District Court to breaching the peace by engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour at the hospital on January 10 last.  He pleaded guilty also to being drunk and a danger to himself and others on the same occasion.

The court heard Gardai were called to A&E where they found a very intoxicated Morgan, stripped to the waist with staff restraining him.

He attempted to headbutt one of the Gardai when they intervened. He spat and roared at them, making other patients in the vicinity very distressed.

Morgan, the court was told, had three previous convictions which included two for drugs possession and dealing and the third for possession of a weapon.

Defence solicitor, John Martin, said his client – who is a chainsaw carver at festivals – had been out drinking with friends and was assaulted on the way home that evening. He came around and found himself lying on the street. He made his way home but collapsed a short time later and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Mr Martin said Morgan was confused and only remembered the bright lights at the hospital. He said his client didn’t even remember leaving the Garda station the following morning.

Morgan, he said, could not account for his aggressive behaviour but thought that a blow to his head might have caused it.

Judge Alan Mitchell said an aggravating factor was that this had occurred in the hospital.

He said the maximum sentence the court could impose was three months, but he decided to look for a probation report on Morgan first before passing sentence.

Warning Morgan he was on a very slippery slope given his previous convictions, the judge adjourned the matter to June to await the findings of a Garda behaviour report and a probation report.