A Queensland woman living with terminal cancer has avoided having a criminal conviction recorded after pleading guilty to offences arising from a confrontation at a Brisbane hospital that resulted in police physically carrying her from the premises.
Kim Leask, 58, appeared in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on 2 July 2026, where she admitted to one count of public nuisance and one count of obstructing police. The charges related to an incident at Mater Private Hospital Brisbane on 11 August 2025.
The court heard Leask attended the hospital for an X-ray appointment. During the visit, she informed staff that she had an allergy to the contrast dye commonly used in some imaging procedures. When the scan did not proceed as expected, she became increasingly frustrated and allegedly began verbally abusing hospital staff while recording herself shouting inside the facility.
Hospital security asked Leask to leave the premises, but she allegedly refused. Queensland Police were then called to assist. Prosecutors told the court officers attempted to escort her from the building peacefully, but after walking only a short distance she deliberately sat on the ground and dropped her body weight, making it difficult for officers to move her.
Police eventually carried Leask to a police vehicle. The court heard she repeatedly used her legs to stop officers from closing the vehicle door, resulting in an extended stand-off lasting nearly two hours before police were able to safely place her in handcuffs and transport her from the hospital.
During sentencing, Leask's lawyer said his client had been under enormous emotional pressure because she was living with a terminal illness and had become distressed by the situation at the hospital. The defence submitted that the confrontation occurred during an exceptionally stressful period in her life and asked the court to take her medical condition into account.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan acknowledged Leask's serious health condition but said it could not excuse her behaviour toward hospital staff and police officers.
The magistrate noted that while her circumstances attracted sympathy, healthcare workers and emergency responders were entitled to carry out their duties without being subjected to abuse or obstruction. He emphasised that difficult personal circumstances do not justify unlawful conduct in public settings.
Rather than imposing a conviction, Magistrate Callaghan placed Leask on a six-month good behaviour bond in the amount of $600 and ordered that no conviction be recorded. The outcome means she will avoid a criminal conviction provided she complies with the conditions of the bond.
The case highlights the challenges faced by healthcare workers and police when responding to highly emotional situations involving vulnerable patients, while also reinforcing that courts continue to balance compassion for personal circumstances with the need to uphold public order and protect frontline staff.
