A pensioner assaulted a nurse after she came to his aid after he collapsed outside a hospital.
Charles Lynagh appeared at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal charged with assaulting nurse Amanda Sweeney.
Lynagh, aged 69, was found lying unconscious outside Letterkenny University Hospital at 1.10pm on June 20th, 2017.
Nurse Sweeney tried to lift Lynagh and as she did so he struck out and struck her in the face.
CCTV footage fo the attack was shown to Judge Paul Kelly in court.
She had to see a hospital consultant and leave work after being bruised above her left eye.
Solicitor for the accused, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said his client was drunk and he had no recollection of the attack.
He paid tribute to nurse Sweeney who was back in work the day after the attack.
“This was a very traumatic incident for nurse Sweeney but it is a testament of the character of the nurses in Letterkenny that she was back in the work the next day,” he said.
The court heard that Lynagh, of Tirlaughlin, Carrigart, had 30 previous convictions, many of which for public order.
Judge Kelly asked if Lynagh had apologised to nurse Sweeney and if he planned to make recompense to her.
Mr Gallagher said his client had not apologised yet and that he was a man of very little means who had succumbed to alcohol in his life.
Judge Kelly adjourned the case until January 7th for a community service and probation report.
He thanked nurse Sweeney for coming to court and for her “approach to the matter.”