A man who spat on a Montreal nurse amid the second wave of the pandemic faces jail to reflect on the dangerousness of his gesture.
Nathalie George-Bernard” deserves thanks [Madalin Antonio] Cirstea and not the abusive, degrading and dangerous treatment he inflicted on her,” judge Randall Richmond of the Montreal Municipal Court recently ruled.
Around midnight on December 29, 2020, Cirstea arrived by ambulance at St. Mary’s Hospital in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of Montreal.
Escorted by the police, he was “aggressive and handcuffed to his stretcher”. The 38-year-old was then “drunk and smelled of alcohol”.
The nurse, who worked her fifth of seven consecutive night shifts in the middle of the holiday season, is in charge of this patient.
“He was uncooperative and vulgar. He was rude, abusive and threatening,” she testified.
It was impossible to know if Cirstea was infected with COVID-19 because he refused to be tested.
At around 6 a.m. the patient, who was no longer under the influence of alcohol, wanted to leave the hospital. When he tried to get dressed, he found his sweater was cut.
“He becomes furious and accuses Ms. George-Bernard of destroying a $700 sweater,” read the sentencing decision released last month.
Cirstea then proceeded to insult the nurse as she asked her to leave the premises. He then lowered his surgical mask and spat in the woman’s face.
“She wears a mask but is still affected by the spit she gets on her face, forehead and glasses,” we read.
The healthcare worker ran to the sink to wash her face “like someone poured acid on her” as she was terrified of contracting COVID-19.
“She has to avoid contact with her relatives for five days. But she can’t stop working: the hospital needs her too much,” Judge Richmond wrote.
“Especially during the second wave of this pandemic, being spit on your face is the most dangerous weapon to use,” the woman said.
Although the lawsuit only asked for one year’s probation, the judge decided to sentence Cirstea to 90 days in prison with breaks and three years’ probation.
“I applaud the judge who imposed a more severe sanction than requested. He took into account the fact that we are putting our health at risk,” said Johanne Riendeau, President of the Union of Health Care Professionals of the West Island of Montreal.