PRI mayhem leads to jail

Aug 15 2008 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A PERTH man, admitted to PRI for observation, caused mayhem on one of the wards during a late-night disturbance.

Shortly before midnight, 52-year-old Ronald Grady, of St Catherine’s Square, got out of bed then locked himself in the toilet.

He then ignored requests to leave and wakened other patients with a foul-mouthed tirade of abuse.

And when nurse co-ordinator Douglas Downie attempted to calm him down, he threw a punch at him but fortunately missed.

The incidents led to Grady being jailed for a total of 90 days at Perth Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Brady pled guilty to committing a breach of the peace and causing fear and alarm to other patients in Ward 4 at the hospital on April 8.

He also pled guilty to attempting to punch the nurse on the face.

Solicitor Billy Sommerville said that the accused had admitted himself to hospital because he was suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

He had received medication but was still “agitated.”

At the same court, another man was jailed for three months after losing the plot in the A&E Department at PRI on August 12.

Ronald Nelson (53), had been admitted to hospital at 3.40pm, complaining of chest pains.

It was clear he was under the influence of alcohol when he was examined by a consultant.

And when Michael Johnston told Nelson he didn’t think there was anything wrong with him, Nelson became abusive.

Sheriff Fletcher told Nelson, of Newport-on-Tay: “I am simply not going to tolerate this kind of behaviour in a hospital environment.”