PENRITH MAN WHO GROPED TWO NURSES BEHAVED LIKE 'DIRTY OLD MAN' - JUDGE
A hospital patient who was being treated at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary behaved like a “dirty old man” by groping two nurses, a court heard.Penrith man William Allan, 47, was berated by a crown court judge as he was sentenced for two offences of outraging public decency, which were alternative lesser charges to those he originally faced of two sexual assaults.
Prosecutor Tim Evans outlined the offending at Carlisle Crown Court.
Both victims were working at the hospital in May last year when the defendant arrived for treatment, though it was immediately obvious he was under the influence of alcohol.
He was unsteady on his feet and stumbling.
The first female nurse involved then asked the defendant if medical staff could carry out a check on his heart and he agreed to this.
She also told him she needed to take a blood sample, asking him to extend his arm.
It as he did this, said Mr Evans, that Allan deliberately reached out and groped the woman, prompting her to immediately shout at Allan, who initially refused to let go.
After pulling his hand away, the nurse left the cubicle.
Despite the shock of what happened, the nurse agreed to continue treating the defendant but made sure a second nurse went with her when she returned to the defendant.
That was when Allan groped the second woman.
Mr Evans outlined how the defendant’s criminal record is littered with drink-related offending, including multiple cases of him being drunk and disorderly and two drink driving convictions.
The barrister added: “These offences against two individuals are aggravated by him being in drink and it was offending against public servants who were doing their job in difficult circumstances.” Ellie Mitten, defending, said Allan, of Clifford Court, Penrith, accepted grabbing the women in the way described by the prosecutor, but the defendant insisted there was no sexual intention in what he did.
“He was intoxicated and in significant pain,” said the barrister.
“He can’t say with any certainty what was going through his mind because of the state he was in.
“Whatever his intentions were, it is certainly not something he intends to repeat.
He accepts it was not appropriate… and should not be tolerated.” Character references showed the defendant to be a hard-working man with a different side to his nature, added Miss Mitten.
The defendant’s former wife had described his behaviour as “bizarre.” Judge Michael Fanning commended the professionalism of the nurses for continuing to treat Allen, who had a drink problem, but the alcohol and the pain he suffered were no excuse for such “distasteful” behaviour.
“It demonstrated disrespect for women,” said the judge, likening that behaviour to that of a “dirty old man.” “I accept that this is not how your ordinarily behave,” continued Judge Fanning, accepting that what happened was a one-off and remarking that the offences amounted to “drunken opportunistic groping.” He imposed seven months jail, suspended for a year.
The sentence includes 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.
Allan must also pay each of his victims £1,000 in compensation and prosecution costs of £1,630.
The defendant, who elected to have his case dealt with at the crown court, was not put on the Sex Offender Register.
