'There's my signature': Nine-month prison sentence for breaking nose of doctor at Malaga hospital

The patient hit the doctor in the face after requesting voluntary discharge and stating that he could not sign it due to muscular atrophy

Juan Cano

Malaga

Monday, 19 August 2024, 16:47

A man has been sentenced to nine months in prison for breaking a doctor's nose at a hospital in Malaga city.

The patient, an inmate of the Alhaurín de la Torre prison, was transported by Guardia Civil police officers to the emergency department at the Hospital Clínico on 10 June 2021 about 11.40am to be examined by a doctor. Once there, he became very nervous and aggressive and constantly requested to be discharged.

The doctor examining him explained that in order to be able to leave the health facility and return to prison, he needed to sign a document. The patient claimed he could not do so as he suffered from muscular atrophy in his hands. The doctor insisted, as this was the only way to discharge him. The man then punched the doctor in the face and said, "there, you have my signature", according to court documents seen by SUR, breaking the victim's nose.

Last January, the case went to trial but the accused did not appear at the hearing. In his absence, in addition to nine months' imprisonment, the man was also slapped with a 2,700-euro fine and ordered to pay 1,800 euros in compensation to the victim.

The defence appealed the court decision, alleging an error in the assessment of the evidence, among other arguments, considering the doctor's injuries were minor and that no dangerous instrument was used in the attack, such as the handcuffs, which he was not wearing at the time, but the court rejected the claims.

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