Manchester hospital guards who attacked patient sentenced

The assault took place at North Manchester General Hospital in 2023

Two hospital security guards who hit a patient more than 40 times in the head and pulled his hair while verbally abusing him have been sentenced.

Abdul Saleem, 36, and Owa Darling, 55, attacked the 43-year-old while on duty at North Manchester General Hospital.

Manchester Crown Court heard the attacks on 25 February last year were filmed by their body-worn cameras.

Senior crown prosecutor Samira Choudhry said the pair "abused the trust placed in them" and caused deliberate harm".

Saleem, of Levenshulme, Manchester, and Darling, of Chadderton near Oldham, were both sentenced to 18-month community orders after pleading guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.

It means the pair must each carry out 250 hours unpaid work and were made subject to a four-month curfew and ordered to pay a victim surcharge.

A third hospital guard, 39-year-old Benjamin Monese, was previously handed a 12-month community order for his role in the assault, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Group assault

Saleem was a supervisor at the hospital the night he, Darling and Monese were called by medical staff when the patient kept getting out of bed and became difficult to manage during the night following his admission for treatment.

The guards' body-worn cameras showed how between 03:00 and 04:00 GMT Saleem subjected the patient to 20 blows to the head, pulled his hare and used excessive force to restrain him.

Darling was seen to strike the man 26 times in the head, as well as slapping him, with both men persistently abusing the patient verbally.

After being discharged the following day, he contacted police to say he had been assaulted by men in uniform and left with bruising.

Ms Choudhry said the attack had left the man feeling vulnerable and "frightened of attending hospitals".

"Everyone has the right to go about their daily lives without fear of violence.

"I hope that following the conclusion of this case the man can begin to move on with his life."

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