Drunk hospital patient hurled racist abuse at doctor in A&E unit

A drunk hospital patient hurled vile racist abuse at a doctor while seeking treatment in South Tyneside.
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Mark Brown, 32, fired a disgusting verbal volley at the medic after being admitted to the district hospital’s A&E unit.

Brown kicked off after an incident with his mum at their home in Galsworthy Road, Whiteleas, borough magistrates heard.

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Anxiety condition agoraphobia may have contributed to his outburst on Monday, December 13 – but he was also “highly drunk”.

South Tyneside District Hospital.South Tyneside District Hospital.
South Tyneside District Hospital.

Prosecutor Jonathan Straughan said: “The defendant was taken to A&E for unrelated matters.

“His behaviour deteriorated while he was waiting in the hospital.

“While being treated by staff, he became abusive, and was moved to a separate room. It was then he shouted racial abuse at the general manager.

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“Patients and members of staff were aware. He was moved to a separate room.

“The defendant doesn’t have a history of previous convictions of note.

“The doctor who was targeted was of some robustness and does not make much of it, but he was impacted by it.”

Brown, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.

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Sandra Fife, defending, said Brown’s agoraphobia may have contributed to his nasty outburst.

But she admitted: “Mr Brown was highly intoxicated at the time. There had been something at home between him and his mother.

“It was while being wheeled from one room to another that this incident happened.

“He tells me that he has agoraphobia, and he told the police that he couldn’t recall what was going on.

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“He was shown the footage and accepts that it’s him. He does have health issues.

“If not for the racially aggravated element, it might have been dealt with by a conditional discharge.”

Magistrates fined Brown £80 and ordered him to pay £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.