Man '˜used traffic cone in assault on hospital staff'

Thomas McMenamy is accused of a violent outburst after being told to leave the Mater at the weekend.

The 20-year-old, of Balkan Street in Belfast, appeared before Belfast Magistrates’ Court charged with three counts of common assault.

He faces further counts of disorderly behaviour at the hospital on the Crumlin Road and possession of an offensive weapon – namely a traffic cone.

A police constable said a ward sister had asked McMenamy and a friend to leave because of their behaviour in the early hours of Sunday morning.

“At that stage there were assaults on security staff in The Mater,” she claimed.

Opposing bail, the officer suggested the incident may have been fuelled by drugs.

Defence counsel argued, however, that McMenamy’s mother is prepared to supervise him.

He also proposed that his client could be banned from entering Belfast city centre.

Granting bail, District Judge Fiona Bagnall agreed with the exclusion zone.

She also prohibited him from going near any hospitals in the area, except for medical treatment.

McMenamy is to abide by a curfew, electronic monitoring, and return to court in four weeks time.