Man abused York medics

12:07pm Friday 29th February 2008

A TEEN father locked up for shaking his baby son so hard that the infant sustained brain injuries, hurled abuse at hospital staff.

Thomas Ottaway's insults towards his son's carers has landed him behind bars for a further month.

York Magistrates Court heard how Ottaway, 19, hurled abuse at consultant paediatrician Dr Robert Smith and senior nurse Sister Jill Crampton when he took his three-month-old son into York Hospital.

Trevor Beddoe, prosecuting, said Dr Smith was concerned that five bruises on baby Owen's body were not accidental - and investigations later revealed a brain injury caused by shaking.

Earlier this month Ottaway was locked up for 12 months after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to his son.

"Such was the aggression of the defendant that he (the doctor) had to leave the room and call security," said Mr Beddoe.

Sister Crampton tried to calm Ottaway down, but got a volley of abuse as well.

"I regularly deal with sensitive emergency situations where I have to speak to parents," Sister Crampton told police later. "I have never been spoken too like that in my career."

Ottaway, formerly of Howe Hill, Acomb, York, pleaded guilty to two public order offences committed on May 14 and criminal damage to a door at Heworth Family Support Project on January 28 this year.

Magistrates jailed him for a month, on top of the 12 months he got at York Crown Court earlier this month after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm to Owen on May 13 by shaking him.

Ottaway's solicitor, Martin Hawes, said his client denied causing the bruises.

Mr Beddoe said Owen's GP referred him to hospital because the baby had two marks on his body. The infant was also refusing to eat, not sleeping and was unwell.

During Dr Smith's examination at York Hospital, Ottaway became aggressive, using "foul and abusive language" towards the doctor.

While on bail for the hospital outburst, Ottaway slammed a door at Heworth Family Support Project so hard, he broke its reinforced glass.

Staff there had just told him to leave because they were concerned he was losing his temper.

Mr Hawes said Ottaway had a temper problem. At the hospital he was angry because of an incident during the doctor's examination involving Owen and a cot. He had not been physically violent towards either the doctor or the nurse.

When he was at the family support centre, it was a windy day and the wind caught the door. He was leaving because he was aware he was losing his temper.

York Hospital's chief executive Patrick Crowley said: "We welcome any process by the police which reinforces the message of zero tolerance of violence or aggression against our staff who are providing an essential service."