Updated 1200 - A male nurse was handed down a two-year probation order by the court after admitting to violent indecent assault of an Iranian woman.
Lawrence Debono was charged of committing the crime while attending to the woman in an ambulance on Sunday. Sources said he grabbed her breasts over her clothes.
In court Mr Debono, 39, admitted the charges and through his lawyer Jason Azzopardi apologised unreservedly for his actions. The Iranian woman accepted the apology.
In handing down the sentence Magistrate Doreen Clarke warned Mr Debono that he had to obey every instruction issued by the probation officer for the next two years, including any recommendation to seek psychological help.
The incident happened on Sunday at around 1.30pm when Mr Debono was on ambulance duty. The ambulance had been called in to take the woman to hospital for further treatment.
Mater Dei Hospital said on Sunday evening it had opened an internal investigation into the matter.
The magistrate took note of Mr Debono’s clean criminal record and ordered the name of the victim be withheld.
Before the start of proceedings the magistrate called in the prosecution and the defence into her chambers.
Police inspectors Jonathan Ransley and Sylvana Briffa prosecuted while lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta appeared for the defence. Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Amadeo Cachia appeared parte civile for the Iranian woman.
Sources close to the investigation said the woman reported the abuse to the police officers stationed at the Accident and Emergency Department on Sunday afternoon.
The woman had been referred to hospital after having been examined by a general practitioner who was called to her residence. He decided she had better go to hospital for tests.
An ambulance was called and picked up the woman from her Swieqi residence on Sunday afternoon.
The patient was strapped in for the trip, as is the policy, but contrary to standard practice, the nurse was not accompanied by the other ambulance employee, known as the porter, who instead sat at the front.
The sources said that after, she spent “considerable time” on a stretcher at the emergency department, the woman tried to leave hospital. On her way out found two police officers and claimed that she had been physically abused on the ambulance.
The woman left hospital and refused to remain there for the tests ordered by her doctor
Sources said the woman left hospital and refused to remain there for the tests ordered by her doctor.
She was questioned by police investigators for a second time yesterday, a day after the allegations were made. The purpose was to see whether she would change her version or remained consistent with her original claims.
Her versions tallied and sources said the decision was taken to proceed with criminal proceedings against the nurse.
Following the allegations, the Mater Dei Hospital management launched an internal inquiry into the matter. This is separate from the police investigation and the outcome is not known.