Castlederg woman abused nurses treating her in hospital

A CASTLEDERG woman has been jailed for four months for a series of serious offences.

Donna Wray (50), of Alexander Park, was sentenced at Strabane Magistrates Court.

The first set of offences occurred on October 3 and November 14 last year, when Wray was seen on CCTV stealing alcohol on both occasions from Hamilton’s Spar, totalling £37.

When arrested and interviewed, Wray explained that she had no money and was waiting for her benefits to come in to her bank.

The second set of offences relate to an incident on November 26 when Wray assaulted her daughter, who had a restraining order against her.

Police were alerted to the incident at 8.40pm when the victim reported that her mother had entered her house through the unlocked back door.

The altercation started with Wray calling the woman names regarding her weight. However the altercation escalated when Wray assaulted the victim, pulling their hair extensions out in the process.

The victim’s partner and father had to intervene to pull Wray away.

When police arrived to arrest Wray she claimed to have taken tablets and was subsequently brought to Altnagelvin hospital.

Whilst in the waiting area the Derg woman began to kick off at passing nurses, calling them ‘big lesbians’. Her conduct distressed people in the hospital and she was further arrested for disorderly behaviour.

After the incident it was reported that Wray had damaged a wreath and a door at her daughter’s residence.

Defence counsel Joe McCann told the court that since the incident Wray has served the equivalent of three-and-a-half months in custody.

He said that the time in custody away from her two younger children had ‘been extremely difficult’ for her.

Mr McCann informed the court that guilty pleas were entered in an early stage of the proceedings, and asked District Judge Oonagh Mullan for a sentence that would allow Wray to ‘get her life on the straight and narrow’.

Judge Mullan said that she did not want to keep Wray in custody for much longer than she has already served.

For the thefts from Hamilton’s SPAR, judge Mullan imposed a fine of £25, with a compensation order of £37 for the stolen goods.

In the assault matter, Judge Mullan sentenced Wray to four months in custody, meaning that because the Derg woman has already served three and a half months, she will be released in a week.

Judge Mullan also ordered compensation of £95 for the damage to the door, wreath and hair extensions.

A further restraining order of two years was imposed in favour of the victim.