A man who used threatening behaviour at the reception of a hospital A and E department has been fined after admitting the offence in court.
Thirty-eight-year-old Dean Morgan, of Shoulder of Mutton, Pembroke, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, to plead guilty a charge of causing harassment, alarm or distress to another male by using threatening behaviour at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest on January 8.
Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that complainant was a seventy-one-year-old man who worked as receptionist at the hospital’s A and E department.
“This incident occurred between 11.15 pm and midnight when the defendant was left at the hospital by police to see a member of the mental health crisis team.
“Mr. Morgan was initially seen by a triage nurse, and asked to sit in the waiting room area.
“Over the next half an hour, he went back and forth to the reception window, becoming more and more agitated and wound-up,” explained Mr. Pritchard-Jones.
The court heard that Mr. Morgan then made what the receptionist felt was a specific threat when he said ‘if you want to stay safe, you better stay behind the glass.’
“Mr. Morgan then threatened to punch the glass of the reception desk, and then did so, with considerable force.
“The receptionist felt alarmed and took it as a threat and and told police in his victim impact statement, that he did feel frightened, even though Mr. Morgan was known to him.”
The complainant told police in his statement: ‘I’m a seventy-one-year-old man and not physically fit to defend myself against a much younger man. I was also left concerned for members of the public. His general manner was alarming.
‘In my job I have to deal with frustrations on a daily basis, and usually I would brush it off, but this was more and it unnerved me, as I had never felt unsafe before in my workplace’.
Defence solicitor Jonathan Webb told there court that Mr. Morgan had just left the Bro Cerwyn centre as he had a long history of mental health problems.
“He was not in a good place by any shape, manner or form when he was at the hospital, and was agitated by things going on in his mind, and lashed out,
“Mr. Morgan made an apology when interviewed by police and accepted that his behaviour had been unacceptable. He is sorry for his actions and is remorseful for any fear he caused the complainant or anyone else present.
“He does have a lengthy antecedent history but his last two court appearances in 2018 and 2016 are for dissimilar matters involving cannabis possession,” he added.
Magistrates fined Mr. Morgan £200 for the offence and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £32 victim surcharge.