ASSAULT ON PATIENT

Evening Star, Issue 25468, 26 April 1945, Page 10

ASSAULT ON PATIENT

HOSPITAL ATTENDANT CHARGED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 26. John William Alexander Wardle (29), a male nurse, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial by Mr Stout, S.M., on a charge of assaulting a patient in the Wellington Hospital. The evidence showed that the patient, Neil Oliver Moore, was admitted on March 15, suffering from a nervous condition, but wished to leave. He made several attempts to escape, and was forcibly restrained by the accused. Medical evidence was given that on March 16 Moore was operated on following a diagnosis of internal haemorrhage and was found to have suffered a rupture of the liver, which, a doctor said, could only have resulted from violence.

A fellow patient described how the accused had pushed Moore several times and knelt on him, and another patient who saw the incident said the accused afterwards said he was sorry " he did his block."

Tn a statement to the police the accused alleged that Moore kicked him and struck him once in the stomach with his clenched fist. He denied kicking or jumping on Moore.