Nurse's HIV and hepatitis scare as Oldham casualty thug is jailed for throwing his blood at her

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Nurse's HIV and hepatitis scare as Oldham casualty thug is jailed for throwing

his blood at her

Exclusive by Alice McKeegan

March 29, 2011

A nurse has told of her nightmare after a drunken patient threw his blood in her

face as she treated him.

Casualty nurse le Hesketh, 41, is still waiting to see if she has caught

HIV or hepatitis three months after being attacked by the thug.

Less than a week after the attack, she fell seriously ill with viral meningitis

– and doctors warned she may have caught it from the blood. Now the mum-of-two –

who has not been able to work since – has spoken of her ordeal after her

attacker was jailed for four months.

The senior staff nurse said Hudson – who has refused to take a

blood test – flew into a rage while she was treating him in A & E at the Royal

Oldham Hospital on New Year’s Eve.

Hudson, 21, had been brought in by paramedics in an ‘intoxicated’ state, and had

a severe head wound. She was trying to dress it when he grabbed her arm, Oldham

magistrates’ court heard.

Hudson then launched an abusive tirade at Ms Hesketh, swearing repeatedly before

throwing his blood-soaked dressing in her face. Police were called and he was

arrested. The aftermath was witnessed by Ms Hesketh’s paramedic partner

Mellor, 46, as he brought another patient into A & E.

Magistrates said that the offence was so serious only a custodial sentence was

appropriate and jailed Hudson, of Wood Crescent, Holts, Oldham, for four months

after he admitted battery.

Speaking after the case, Ms Hesketh, from Shaw, Oldham – who has worked for the

NHS for 22 years, – said she is still going through hell.

She said: " I’m sure I speak for most NHS staff in saying that we should not have

to be subject to or tolerate any aggressive or abusive behaviour at work.

" We are here to do a job, to care for and treat patients.

" Obviously this incident and court case has been very upsetting for me and I’m

pleased it is now over and has been dealt with properly and appropriately by the

police and the courts. " A Crown Prosecution Service spokeswoman said: " The CPS

works with the police to encourage priority action in those cases where violence

and aggression are shown to staff in the NHS, who are simply doing their job and

serving the public. Where there is sufficient evidence we will prosecute these

cases robustly. "

Pennine Acute Trust, which runs the Royal Oldham Hospital, said: " " This case

sends a strong message that those who wilfully attack or abuse and display acts

of violence and aggression towards any NHS staff will not be tolerated. " About

six NHS staff are assaulted every day in Greater Manchester.

In 2009-2010 2,413 health workers in Greater Manchester were attacked at work –

but only 44 people have been prosecuted.