Man who punched hospital worker over wait avoids jail

Martin Casey was seeking blood tests after ‘helping person with HIV’ who had injury

A man who punched a hospital employee at an infectious diseases clinic because he wasn’t being seen quickly enough has avoided going to prison.

Martin Casey (22) admitted assaulting Arun Vijayakumar causing him harm at the Mater Hospital on October 15th, 2012.

Casey of Cnoc An Dubh, Cloonfad, Roscommon was given a one-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring also ordered him to pay €500 to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin within the next 12 months.

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The court heard Casey arrived at the infectious diseases unit in a “hysterical state” to get blood tests.

He had been at a party the previous night and helped someone with a glass injury, but was told later that the person suffered from HIV.

Casey attended the Mater Hospital clinic but “lost the plot” with a staff member after he felt he was waiting too long to be seen.

Garda Emma Hughes told Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting, that the victim’s job was to register patients at the clinic.

Casey arrived at the clinic, was given a number to mark his place in the queue and then took a seat.

After about 15 minutes, Casey approached Mr Vijayakumar in an anxious state and asked him how long it would be until he was seen.

He became aggressive and abusive and accused Mr Vijayakumar of not doing his job properly and “just sitting on his ass”.

Mr Vijayakumar tried to get Casey to calm down and asked him to have a seat but Casey yelled at him and then punched him twice in the face.

With the second blow, Mr Vijayakumar lost his balance, fell off his chair and hit his head off the floor.

Casey pushed a computer off the desk onto the floor and then locked himself in an office. However when security arrived, Casey had disappeared.

Mr Vijayakumar’s upper lip was torn and bleeding, his head and face felt numb and he had lumps on his head.

He suffered jaw pain, constant headaches, tooth and lip pain, nightmares and couldn’t sleep properly for two weeks.

A victim impact statement said that while Mr Vijayakumar’s physical injuries have healed, he still feels unsafe at work.

He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and said he was “totally depressed” and couldn’t go out of the house.

He had to pay €1,400 in medical costs and suffered €11,400 in net income loss.

Anne-Marie Lawlor BL, defending, said Casey made full admissions on his arrest and was “remorseful and utterly ashamed” of his actions.

When showed CCTV footage of the incident, Casey became upset over his “stupid and pointless” action and said “Yer man didn’t deserve it.”

Judge Ring noted the victim had been doing no more than his job when he was set upon by a stranger.