Man threatened to murder Aberdeen hospital nurse

Press and Journal

a day ago

A man who turned up at an Aberdeen hospital to borrow money from his mum threatened to kill a nurse when he wasn't given the amount he expected.
David Prystajko, 44, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where he admitted behaving in a threatening manner towards busy hospital staff as they tried to care for patients earlier this year.
Prystajko appeared outside a ward at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and asked staff to retrieve money from his sick mother.
When they handed over £25, Prystajko flew into a rage, demanding more money and telling one nurse he was going to 'send bad people' to kill her.
He also appeared on a separate incident of threatening a petrol station attendant.
Fiscal depute Lindsay Shields told the court that during the evening of June 24 last year, Prystajko was asked to leave the Esso Filling Station on Great Northern Road by a member of staff there and immediately became belligerent.
Prystajko walked outside and threw a glass bottle at the window of the petrol station, which didn't smash.
Following this, Prystajko then picked up three bottles of exhaust liquid and proceeded to also throw these at the window.
He then reentered the petrol station and pushed the staff member before spitting in the man's face.
The staff member pushed the panic alarm, which brought the police to the scene.
They arrested Prystajko, who continued to shout and swear at the member of staff as he was led away to a police car.
During a separate incident on January 30 this year, Prystajko appeared outside a ward at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where his mum was being looked after.
He asked a nurse if he could borrow some money from his mum, and she went to retrieve it for him.
Returning, the nurse handed Prystajko £25, which resulted in him flying into a rage and demanding £100.
'The accused stated that he would kill people if he did not receive the money,' the fiscal depute said. At that point, the nurse called security.
As he was being led from the building, Prystajko shouted towards the nurse: 'I'm going to send bad people to murder you.'
In the dock, Prystajko pleaded guilty to one count of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and a second charge of assault by pushing and spitting on the petrol station attendant.
Defence solicitor Kayren Stewart told the court that her client had been struggling with his mental health at the time of these offences.
'He was also highly intoxicated at the time and did act in the way described,' the solicitor said, adding that Prystajko 'regrets his behaviour and has expressed remorse'.
Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison told Prystajko that his actions on both occasions 'easily justify a period of imprisonment'.
However, the sheriff stated that he had read reports into Prystajko's background and was willing to give him 'an opportunity to show the court that he can cooperate with a community order' and deal with his substance abuse issues.
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Grant-Hutchison made Prystajko, of Seaton Crescent, Aberdeen, subject to a community payback order with supervision for 12 months.