A Perth man who had part of his nose bitten off during a brutal city centre brawl has been jailed for assaulting the nurse who tried to treat him.
Robert Garrick told a sheriff she was “bang out of order” for jailing him over his violent outburst at Perth Royal Infirmary.
The 42-year-old was taken to hospital by police in September last year, after he was involved in a bloody scrap with rival Ewan Grant.
When a senior charge nurse tried to assess Garrick’s nose injury, he ripped off his bandages and threw them at her, splattering her with his blood.
Sheriff Gillian Wade said she was left with no option but to send Garrick to prison.
A background report prepared on his behalf said he was unsuitable for unpaid work, and he would not consent to other disposals.
“I had hoped there would be a viable alternative to a custodial sentence for you,” the sheriff told him. “But I don’t think there is, standing the terms of this report and the serious nature of the offence.”
Garrick, who was previously jailed for threatening to kidnap, rape and kill a nurse, was imprisoned for four months.
As he was handcuffed and led out of the courtroom, he ranted at the sheriff: “That’s bang out of order.
“You’ve just created more issues for me. Thanks very much for that.
“I’m here because I got assaulted.”
‘Agitated’ state in waiting room
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson said: “At about 11.30pm, the accused attended at Perth police office with an apparent head injury.
“He said he had been involved in an altercation with an unknown male.”
The prosecutor told the court: “When police spoke to the accused he said he had been in a fight, but he refused state who with.
“Given that the accused had a head injury, he was conveyed to PRI by police constables. There, he was left in the care of medical staff.”
Ms Hodgson said Garrick was in an “agitated state” while he was being treated by a nurse.
“He said he was looking for painkillers and other medication,” she said. “He became obstructive towards the nurse while she was making efforts to assess his injury.
“The nurse asked him to wait in the waiting room, which at the time was filled with elderly patients and two young children.”
Garrick began pacing around, muttering to himself. He was heard saying: “F***ing useless staff. Nobody gives a f***.”
Ms Hodgson said: “Due to the accused’s behaviour, a nurse cleared a side room and asked the accused to wait in there.
“He began to act aggressively and shouted in staff members’ faces.”
Garrick continued to shout and swear during his assessment, and complained about a “lack of treatment by staff”.
“He was reminded that there were children in the next room,” said Ms Hodgson. “To this, the accused became annoyed.
“He ripped off a blood-soaked dressing from his nose and threw it in the direction of the nurse, covering her arm in his blood.”
Police officers were called to the hospital and Garrick was arrested.
Obvious nose injury
He admitted a charge of assaulting, obstructing or hindering a senior charge nurse at PRI on September 8 2021.
Solicitor Linda Clark, defending, said: “This incident was precipitated in him being assaulted, which resulted in a piece of his nose being bitten off and an injury to his eye.
“He still has an obvious injury to his nose and he did tell the officers who was responsible.”
Ewan Grant appeared in court in February and admitted assaulting Garrick in the city’s Mill Street.
The court heard the 31-year-old kicked Garrick in the face and stamped on his head, before leaning in to sink his teeth into his nose.
The bloodied victim was able to get back on his feet, and ran to the safety of a passing taxi while his attacker gave chase.
