A+E nurse is guilty of assault

Published 18 Mar 2010 14:00

A CASUALTY nurse at Inverclyde Royal Hospital could be sacked after she carried out a vicious attack on another woman.

Patricia Martin assaulted the former friend after suspecting her of sleeping with her son's pal.

Martin, 38, now faces being struck off and sacked from her job at the hospital after being ordered to carry out 120 hours of community service.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard Martin had travelled to Millport on Cumbrae to see her 18-year-old son.

After she had downed vodka and wine at the Royal George Hotel, one of her son's friends came to the bar to tell her he was upset.

She then hammered on her 26-year-old victim's door at 1am to confront her but got no reply.

Martin, right, said: "I was angry at the thought of what she was doing to my family. I wanted to get the truth."

Martin spotted her victim the next morning as the woman was leaving her home with her son. Martin shouted and swore before shoving the woman and slamming a car door on her leg as she tried to escape.

Prosecutor Andrew Calderwood earlier accused Martin of hunting down and stabbing the woman, asking: "Have you shut yourself off from reality?" Weeping Martin replied: "I'm the only sane person in the courtroom. It's them - they're a clique."

But Martin, of Walnut Crescent, Johnstone, was found guilty of breach of the peace and assault in Cardiff Street, Millport, in April 2009. A jury cleared her of stabbing the woman and smashing her car windscreen.

Her job as a staff nurse in accident and emergency at Inverclyde Royal Hospital is now in jeopardy, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Brian Gallen said: "She'd heard various stories about her son and his friends and had sought to have them confirmed or denied. She has expressed remorse for the incident."

Imposing 120 hours community service yesterday, Sheriff Iona McDonald told Martin: "The jury deleted much of the more serious elements of the assault and you have expressed remorse."

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "If staff commit an offence we would make a judgement through normal procedures."

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 18 Mar 10

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