Altnagelvin: Man jailed for assaulting doctors and police

A man has been jailed for two months for assaulting a police officer and two doctors at a hospital in Londonderry.

Philip Dodoo, 22, of no fixed abode, admitted to three assaults, a charge of disorderly behaviour and one of criminal damage on 29 January.

Londonderry Magistrates' Court heard police were called to a report of an aggressive man at Altnagelvin Hospital's A&E department.

Police arrived at the scene to find the defendant being "verbally aggressive".

The court was told the defendant approached one doctor and pushed him with his chest before proceeding to kick out at a medical cart.

When police tried to calm the defendant down he insulted them.

Another member of medical staff then tried to engage with the defendant before he lunged at her.

Police eventually were forced to remove Dodoo from A&E, but while they were doing so he shoulder-charged an officer.

A defence solicitor said at the time of the offences his client was undergoing a "mental health episode".

He said Dodoo regretted what happened, apologised for his actions and was aware the courts would not tolerate his behaviour.

District Judge Barney McElholm imposed a sentence of two months in prison.