Drugged spitter locked up

A drug-addled woman kicked, punched and spat at hospital staff who were trying to treat her, Darwin Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

Katrina Ryder, 26, pleaded guilty to four counts of assault after hitting out at emergency room staff at Royal Darwin Hospital this month.

Defence lawyer Glen Dooley told the court his client consumed speed, morphine and a valium-like sedative in the days leading up to April 12.

She then turned herself in to Darwin Magistrates Court, which had issued a warrant for her arrest due to a non-appearance four days earlier.

"Due to her demeanour an ambulance conveyed her to Royal Darwin Hospital," Mr Dooley said.

Prosecutor Sergeant Paul Quin said Ryder became "agitated and thrashed around" when RDH staff tried to sedate her.

"The defendant punched (patient care assistant) Christopher Hodge to the chest," Mr Quin said. "When he came near the defendant's bed she kicked her legs out…and spat at Hodge." Later, he said, she punched a nurse.

"The defendant then said she was sorry and beckoned the staff member to come around to her side of the bed," Mr Quin said.

"They went and stood beside her and she spat in their face."

When a security guard was called, Ryder allegedly kicked him in the rib cage and spat in his face as well.

Magistrate Greg Cavanagh called the offences "disgusting and foul" and sentenced Ryder to two months in jail.

"Spit on someone and you're jailed…these disgusting and foul assaults are becoming all too prevalent in the Northern Territory and require some deterrence," Mr Cavanagh said.

Ryder, who wrote a guide to prisoners' rights called Cop This in 1997, smiled broadly as she was led from the court.

Newshawk: Fiona Clarke
Pubdate: Tue, 19 April 2005
Source: Northern Territory News
Author: Bob Watt
Website: http://www.ntnews.com.au
Email: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Copyright: Northern Territory News 2005