A woman who was abusive to staff at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) has avoided a prison sentence.

Natasha Galbraith (25), of Edinburgh Villas, Omagh, was convicted of disorderly behaviour and criminal damage following an incident at the hospital on Jun 27, 2020.

The court heard that police were responding to a call from SWAH of a female being verbally and physically abusive. When they arrived a department sister reported a person known to them who had become abusive to staff.

Galbraith called staff "useless bitches". She then proceeded to storm out of the hospital hitting a hand sanitiser and damaging it.

Galbraith continued to be abusive and when asked to choose her word more carefully she responded with: "I don't give a f**k."

Legal representation for Galbraith told the court his client has not had the easiest starts in life and a very "difficult childhood". He said that she had to have her leg amputated above the knee due to a moped accident and had struggled to deal with this.

He added that Galbraith's social worker, who was present in court with her on Monday, said it was difficult for the 25 year old to comprehend the situation she was in.

He raised the possibility of a probation order to help Galbraith but with the defendant already one year left of a probation order, District Judge Steven Keown did not see the benefit in another one.

Judge Keown said the court took a dim view of abuse to overworked medical staff in difficult times and in what was much more difficult times last June.

Believing there was no point in a further probation order, Judge Keown handed down a three month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.