Woman who assaulted staff and smeared sanitary towel on door at Royal Brompton Hospital sentenced

A woman who smeared a used sanitary towel on a glass door of a London hospital and assaulted staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been sentenced today.

Cornelia Azariah, 32, attacked a security guard and a porter at the Royal Brompton Hospital before she was escorted out. Once ejected, she removed her sanitary towel and rubbed it on the door saying: “There’s your Coronavirus guys.”

Azariah, from Dagenham, was sentenced to a hospital order at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

She had previously pleaded guilty to racially aggravated intentional harassment, two counts of damaging property and two counts of assault on an emergency worker in connection to the incident.

The incident occurred in March earlier this year, Azariah became hostile towards staff after being told the hospital did not have an A&E department and was redirected to the nearby Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. 

Claiming to have the virus, Azariah spat at the security guard and also scratched a porter who came to the security’s guard’s aid as she was removed from the premises.

A police constable who was called to the hospital was also subjected to abuse from Azariah who later went on to spit inside the police van once arrested. The police van had to be deep cleaned at a cost of £145.83.

Philip Fernandez, from the CPS, said: “This was a disgraceful display of bad behaviour directed at our hard-working key workers at the very start of the pandemic. Cornelia Azariah’s conduct was simply unacceptable.  

“Brave emergency workers have been facing incredible uncertainties and challenges, yet they have continued to provide vital services to the public. They must be able go about their critical work without the risk of abuse or physical harm.

“The CPS has been clear – attacks such as these, particularly at a time of national emergency, will not be tolerated. Offenders will be prosecuted and brought to justice.”