Townsville woman’s shocking outburst at hospital staff slammed by magistrate

A Townsville magistrate has slammed a woman’s “intoxicated” outburst at doctors and nurses and said he wished he was able to send her to jail.

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A TOWNSVILLE woman has been slammed in court after she went on a tirade of verbal abuse towards doctors and nurses at a local hospital.

Amelia Tobane, 30, pleaded guilty to one charge of disorderly conduct causing a public nuisance after she abused staff and patients at the Townsville University Hospital on February 7.

Townsville University Hospital. Picture: Matt Taylor.

Prosecutor Cody Rowe said police were called to an incident shortly after 5am before they transported Tobane to the hospital.

She was left in the care of the hospital before she became verbally abusive towards hospital staff and other patients for three hours.

Mr Rowe said Tobane told another patient “stop looking at me you fat f-----g c--t” and “f--k off you c--t”.

Doctors and nurses tried to calm Tobane but she continued her outburst, calling a number of staff “Chinese c--ts”, Mr Rowe said.

Police were called and questioned Tobane who told officers she had not created a disturbance.

Magistrate Peter Smid said public nuisance in a hospital was the “worst possible kind”.

“People are anxious and sick, they are anxious for their loved ones,” he said.

“I wish it had been a public nuisance charge, I would have sent her to jail,” Mr Smid said.

Tobane was fined $600 before he said he wished he could have sent her to jail.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Townsville woman’s shocking outburst at hospital staff slammed by magistrate