Elderly Man Attacked in Hospital A&E, Family Calls for Stronger Security Measures

Dublin, April 2, 2025 – The High Court has heard harrowing details of a brutal and unprovoked assault on an elderly man as he waited with his injured wife in the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department of Tallaght University Hospital. The attack, which occurred after the couple had endured over ten hours in the hospital, has irrevocably altered their lives.

Joseph Hansard was struck repeatedly on the head with a metal object by another patient, while his wife, Patricia Hansard, witnessed the shocking incident from her hospital trolley. The court was told that the attacker, who had been treated in an isolation unit earlier that day, was left unsupervised as he exited the area.

David Kennedy SC, along with Declan Harmon BL, representing the Hansards, described the case as deeply distressing. The couple had arrived at A&E around 9:15 a.m. on March 12, 2022, following Mrs. Hansard’s fall at home. By 7:00 p.m., without provocation, Mr. Hansard was violently assaulted, suffering head lacerations and a loss of consciousness. The court heard that his health deteriorated rapidly after the incident, leading to a subsequent Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Both Joseph, now 82, and Patricia, 87, are now in full-time nursing care.

The case against Tallaght University Hospital was settled for €450,000 without admission of liability. Counsel argued that the hospital failed to ensure Mr. Hansard’s safety, alleging that inadequate security measures exposed him and other visitors to potential harm.

Outside the court, the Hansard family issued a statement condemning the hospital’s security lapses. They described the attack, captured on CCTV, as “entirely preventable,” emphasizing that swift action by nursing staff was the only factor that halted the assault.

“This horrific incident should never have happened. No family should endure what we have. Our parents deserved better, but they were failed by Tallaght Hospital,” the statement read. The family urged the Health Service Executive (HSE) and hospitals nationwide to urgently review and reinforce security protocols.

Recounting the devastating impact of the attack, the family said their parents, married for 58 years, had their world shattered. Joseph Hansard’s cognitive decline and memory loss were compounded by his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, while Patricia’s Parkinson’s disease progressed to dementia.

“As a family, we tried to care for them at home, but the severity of their conditions made independent living impossible. Sadly, they now require full-time nursing care,” the statement concluded.

The High Court case highlighted serious concerns over hospital security, prompting renewed calls for stricter measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.