A person who punched a nurse unconscious at Sligo University Hospital will be sentenced later this year.
Leigh Gallagher, 29, from Ballyshannon admitted to attacking nurse Louise Hennessy on May 6, 2022. The incident happened in the coronary care unit where Ms. Hennessy was working.
The court heard that Gallagher hit the nurse in the face with a closed fist. The blow was so hard that Ms. Hennessy lost consciousness immediately. She fell to the ground and hit her head against a wall.
Another nurse, Nurse O’Reilly, heard Ms. Hennessy calling for help and rushed to assist. She found Ms. Hennessy lying face down on the floor. It took several minutes for the injured nurse to respond.
Ms. Hennessy later said she introduced herself to the patient and asked them to lie down so she could check their blood pressure. When she tried to attach the equipment, she felt their fist hit her face. She remembers nothing after that until waking up on the floor.
Gallagher was in hospital as part of a detox program for alcohol problems. They told gardaí they were “horrified” by what happened but couldn’t remember the incident clearly.
The 29-year-old has no previous criminal record. Their lawyer said Gallagher has saved €7,000 to offer as compensation to Ms. Hennessy. Gallagher also wrote a letter apologizing and calling themselves “a disgrace.”
Judge Sandra Murphy called the case “as serious as I can deal with here.” She said the attack on a frontline healthcare worker was an aggravating factor. The judge noted that while Gallagher must live with their conscience, Ms. Hennessy faces “catastrophic” and “life-changing” effects every day.
The case was adjourned until September 11 for final sentencing after a probation report is completed.
