Young man who assaulted medical staff receives suspended sentence.
Tuan Anh took his father, who was suffering from severe abdominal pain, to the hospital for emergency treatment, but due to a lack of paperwork, the medical staff did not complete the admission procedures as required. Frustrated by seeing his father in pain and waiting for so long, Tuan Anh shouted insults and slapped a female medical staff member.
The People's Court of Nghe An province recently held an appeal hearing for defendant Tran Tuan Anh (27 years old, residing in Vinh Hung ward, Nghe An province) on the charge of disturbing public order.
According to the case file, at approximately 11:30 PM on May 31, 2025, Tuan Anh took his father, who was suffering from severe abdominal pain, to the emergency room at Nghe An Friendship General Hospital. During the admission process at the Emergency Department, Ms. Nguyen Thi A. (29 years old, a medical staff member) requested the patient's health insurance card and citizen identification card.
Tuan Anh said he only brought his health insurance card, so Ms. A. told him to wait until he brought all the necessary documents before proceeding with the admission process. While waiting for his family to bring the documents, Tuan Anh noticed his father's face was pale and he was experiencing abdominal pain, so he asked the doctor to check his health. After examining him, asking about the pain, and checking his abdomen, the doctor said he would conduct a more thorough examination once the procedures were completed and then went to see another patient.
At 11:50 PM that same day, when the family brought the documents, Tuan Anh took them to the reception counter for Ms. A. to complete the hospital admission procedures. After receiving the documents, the female medical staff member told Tuan Anh: "You and your family can go outside."
Frustrated at seeing his father in pain and waiting a long time for hospital admission procedures, Tuan Anh loudly cursed at Ms. A. about her attitude, saying, "I paid for my hospital stay, I'm not begging for it, so why are you treating me like this?"
Ms. A. protested, "I didn't do anything," but Tuan Anh suddenly jumped up, reached where she was sitting, and slapped the medical staff member twice in the face, one of which hit Ms. A.'s cheek.
At this point, security guards and several other people intervened, advising Tuan Anh to go outside to the emergency room. The young man continued to shout and threaten Ms. A. until he was driven home by a friend.
By June 2nd, he realized that his actions were a violation of the law.Tuan Anh turned himself in to the police..
At the first-instance trial held in September 2025, the defendant admitted to the crime. The panel of judges determined that the defendant's actions violated public safety, caused panic and outrage among the public, and affected security and order, causing anxiety and worry for doctors and staff, as well as the hospital's operations in examination and treatment. Therefore, the court sentenced the defendant to 7 months imprisonment for the crime of disturbing public order.
Subsequently, the defendant appealed, requesting a suspended sentence. At the appellate hearing, the defendant provided new evidence, stating that he had actively participated in charitable work and supported flood victims.
The appellate court noted that the defendant had a good character, confessed honestly, and committed the crime for the first time in a less serious case. At the trial, the defendant provided new evidence. The defendant has a clear place of residence; therefore, the court accepted the appeal and sentenced Tran Tuan Anh to 7 months imprisonment, but suspended the sentence.
