Mathew Spinks, the Wyong man who allegedly threw a hot coffee cup at a nurse working a COVID-19 testing site, has fronted court.
Spinks appeared at Burwood Local Court on Wednesday, January 20, to answer a charge of assault causing bodily harm in relation to the incident.
According to Police, the 43-year-old attended the COVID-19 testing facility at Macquarie Hospital and was smoking in the passenger seat whilst waiting in the queue when a nurse approached him and asked him to put out his cigarette.
Police allege Spinks then became verbally abusive towards the female nurse and other staff before he got out of the car and threw his coffee at her, with the nurse allegedly sustaining a cut under her eye from the cup as well as red marks to her cheek.
However, Spinks’ lawyer said his client disputed claims that his actions had caused the nurse physical harm, telling the court that Spinks did throw the coffee but that it did not hit the nurse.
The court also heard how Spinks suffered from mental health issues as a result of childhood trauma and abuse, with Magistrate Alison Viney granting conditional bail given concern around the accused’s mental state.
Dilon Luke