Whitehaven A&E patient made threats to stab after receptionist row

Jordan Roche, 26, had attended the West Cumberland Hospital on April 9 to receive treatment for a sore tooth, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said after the defendant had been seen, he approached the reception desk and asked how he could get home. The receptionist told him they had no control over how he got there and he had to make his own way home.

Roche then ‘erupted’, shouting that he would ‘smash up the whole department’. He called the receptionist a ‘f*****g old, grey-haired, s***’.

The receptionist responded, ‘I may be old and grey-haired, but I’m no s***.’

Roche continued shouting and swearing and members of staff attempted to reason with him. There were patients waiting in the department who had to be moved into a secure area during Roche’s outburst, the court heard.

He continued with the behaviour, making threats to ‘stab everyone in the department’.

A victim personal statement read to the court said it was the ‘worst and most ferocious’ verbal attack the victim had seen in 18 years of working at the hospital.

The incident took place in the A&E department at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven (Image: Newsquest)

Roche told police the victim was ‘full of s***’. He said she wasn’t crying but he wished she had been because she was a ‘snotty b****’.

The defendant said he had taken too many paracetamol tablets and rang 111. He said the 111 service had arranged and paid for a taxi.

He said he had asked the receptionist to arrange a taxi home and she had told him that wasn’t her job. 

Roche said the receptionist wouldn’t let him charge his phone to contact someone to pick him up. He was ‘quite irate’.

Ms Fee said the offence was aggravated by the fact it had taken place in the hospital and members of the public had been present.

The defendant was arrested for a further incident while in custody. He scratched his named into the custody yard door, causing £100-worth of damage.

Roche pleaded guilty to using threatening words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, criminal damage under £5,000 and failing to surrender to court bail.

John Cooper, defending, said: “He apologises for being a day late. He got his days mixed up. He brought himself to court. Police haven’t had to arrest him and spend time looking for him.

“He’s told me when he went to the hospital, they told him on the phone they organised transport there and back.

“He waited in A&E for seven hours. He said he deliberately tried not to pester staff. He kept himself to himself.

“He spoke to the doctor. He suggested antibiotics. After that, when he spoke about transport back, this argument occurred.

“He had a phone with him but couldn’t phone a taxi for himself. He was told they couldn’t organise transport.

“He’s adamant he didn’t make any direct threat. The conversation is with that one particular person.

“I understand why they removed the people waiting. I would imagine that’s fairly standard practice.”

Passing sentence, Jeff Forster, chair of the magistrates’ panel, said: “Threats were made to hospital staff who provide a service and certainly do not expect to have abuse from you.”

Roche, of Arlecdon Road, Frizington, was sentenced to eight weeks in custody, suspended for a year.

He was ordered to pay £100 in compensation to police, £85 costs and a £154 victim surcharge.