Nicholas Jeffrey Grant Trainor assaulted a doctor at Rockhampton Hospital’s emergency department

Police were called to Rockhampton Hospital after a patient attacked a doctor who was treating him. Here’s what happened.

The Emergency Department at Rockhampton Hospital. Generic image.

A patient who attacked a doctor at Rockhampton Hospital has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Nicholas Jeffrey Grant Trainor, 30, pleaded guilty in Biloela Magistrates Court on May 11 to assaulting a public officer in the course of their duties.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Ongheen said the victim in this matter was a doctor employed by Queensland Health at Rockhampton Hospital.

Sgt Ongheen said on October 29 last year, at 8.40pm, Trainor was at the Emergency Department of Rockhampton Hospital being treated for seizures by the victim doctor.

“(Trainor) became argumentative and verbally abusive towards the (doctor),” Sgt Ongheen said.

“During which (Trainor) quickly pulled himself from the hospital bed, raised him arms and lunged towards the (doctor) in an apparent attempt to strike the (doctor).”

Sgt Ongheen said Trainor was restrained by security staff before he made any physical contact with the doctor.

Police attended the hospital and arrested Trainor and he was subsequently charged.

The court heard Trainor had previous offences of common assault, threatening violence, and assaulting and obstructing police on his criminal history, and he had previously received terms of imprisonment.

For this latest offence, the prosecution sought a term of imprisonment, wholly suspended.

Solicitor Richard Parks said Trainor had a traumatic upbringing and had “a lot of drug abuse in his time”.

Mr Parks said Trainor had mental health issues and he also suffered from “severe constant epilepsy”.

The solicitor said that on the night of the incident Trainor was taken from Biloela Hospital by ambulance to Rockhampton Hospital.

Mr Parks went into detail about why he, having viewed video footage of the incident, questioned some of the treatment Trainor received at the hospital.

The solicitor added that when police arrived at the hospital they “did a brilliant job”.

“He (Trainor) has done the wrong thing,” Mr Parks said.

“He’s frightened the doctor. He’s been loud, noisy and everything else.

“But I would put this to Your Honour - this is a circumstance, if I could say, the video of the whole incident was quite confrontational.”

Before handing down penalty, Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale noted Trainor had a seven-page criminal history - one she described as a “serious history”.

Ms Beckinsale sentenced Trainor to six months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of 12 months.

A conviction was recorded.