A woman who insulted and threatened a nurse at Paola Health Centre while accompanying her son to the clinic for treatment, was conditionally discharged by a Magistrates’ Court today and fined €800 over the disturbance.

The incident occurred one evening in April 2015 when the 25-year old mother, had taken her son to the Health Centre at around 7.45pm.

An argument broke out between the mother and the nurse in the treatment room.

A doctor, working in a separate room, later recounted how he had rushed out to determine the cause of the shouting and had been alarmed upon hearing such threats as ‘I’ll find you outside’ allegedly uttered by the accused in the direction of his colleague.

The woman had even mentioned the nurse’s daughter by name, as though to stress further that she could perfectly identify her victim.

Criminal action was taken against the woman over the threats and insults towards the nurse as well as for breaching the peace.

Magistrate Aaron Bugeja observed that although the incident had taken place inside a public building which offered a medical service to the general public, there happened to be few people when the argument broke out.

One of these was the doctor who had rushed out of his office upon hearing the shouting and had sensed that the nurse was being threatened.

The court observed that the words ‘I’ll find you outside’ had certainly been no simple invitation to have a word outside, but a clear threat linked to the nurse’s duty within the public health services.

The doctor had testified how the peace and tranquillity of the clinic had been shattered by the shouting of the accused, who at the time had also been accompanied by her mother. Both women were described as “most aggressive” by the doctor who felt that the incident was “rather serious.”

On the basis of evidence the court declared the accused guilty on both charges, pointing out that breach of the peace resulted even when there was just one person, in this case the doctor, who was disturbed by the events personally witnessed by him.

The accused was conditionally discharged for two months and ordered to pay a fine of €800, besides binding herself by a personal obligation over a period of one year and against a penalty of €1,000 so as to guarantee the safety of the nurse and her daughter.

Lawyer Michael Tanti-Dougall appeared parte civile.

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