THURGOONA woman Sally Burnside was yesterday banned from attending the Gardens Medical Centre in Albury.
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The ban imposed by magistrate Tony Murray in Albury Local Court as a condition of a two-year bond after she pleaded guilty to assaulting a receptionist while waiting to see a doctor.
She was also fined $600.
Solicitor Andrea MacDonald said Burnside, 30, of Buller Crescent, had already indicated she would be too embarrassed to return there and had sought out a doctor in Wodonga for future medical needs.
Mr Murray commended the intervention of a man waiting to see a doctor.
The patient forcefully told an intoxicated Burnside to leave and escorted her to a lift where she abused him.
Ms MacDonald said Burnside had been at the medical centre to see a doctor because she had run out of medication.
She was sitting in the waiting room about 4.30pm on January 7 when the director of nursing approached her following a discussion with a receptionist.
The director of nursing checked Burnside’s name and asked whether she had been drinking.
“I’ve only had a couple of wines today with my father,” she replied.
Burnside was told doctors do not see intoxicated people and she should leave before police attended.
When she stood up, walked to the reception area and yelled out a demand about whether she was going to see a doctor, the director of nursing asked a receptionist to call the police.
Burnside stepped within centimetres of the director’s face causing her to step back.
A question was asked about whether the police were being called and Burnside reached over the counter grabbing the base of the phone.
The director grabbed the phone and tried to pull it away from Burnside and there was a short struggle.
The court was told Burnside grabbed the victim’s right arm and pushed her back before the man waiting for an appointment intervened.
He pushed Burnside’s arm away from the victim and escorted her to the lift.
Police arrived and took statements from the victim and the patient and spoke to Burnside two days later.
She claimed it was only a verbal argument but officers obtained closed circuit footage on January 15 which showed what happened.