‘Real-life Barbie’ barred from hospital ward after assaulting NHS workers

Kerry Miles received a suspended sentence of 16 weeks in prison

Ms Miles threw several items at an NHS worker (PA)

A woman described as a real-life Barbie has been told that she cannot visit an Essex hospital ward for a year after she threw a computer at an NHS worker.

Kerry Miles, who underwent a number of cosmetic surgery procedures so that she would look like the doll, was attempting to visit to a patient at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford on 26 August 2020 when she was told that visiting hours had been reduced due to Covid.

Chelmsford Magistrates Court heard that an NHS worker informed Ms Miles of the restrictions and that the “correct time slot appeared to have aggravated the defendant.”

Jacqui Dankyi, prosecuting, said that “moments later the defendant has become agitated, shouted and sworn ... she’s picked up several items including folders and a desktop monitor.

“She’s thrown them at [an NHS worker]. They’ve hit her [the NHS worker]; she sustained bruising to her shoulder.”

Ms Dankyi explained that there had been some damage to a laptop that Ms Miles used to throw at the NHS worker, but said that the desktop monitor did not seem to be damaged due to wires “in place which prevented it falling down”.

According to the prosecutor, Ms Miles went on to assault two further NHS workers. One blocked a punch from Ms Miles and ended up falling into another colleague.

When Ms Miles returned to the car park she was “still heated” said Ms Dankyi. She later reversed back her black Range Rover, “almost hitting” a security worker who had tried to photograph the number plate.

The victim gave an impact statement where she said the incident “will stay with me for life.”

Luke Jaques, mitigating, said that Ms Miles wanted to apologise for her behaviour and “would welcome support for her anger management issues”.

In an earlier trial, Ms Miles, who comes from Silver End, near Braintree, was found guilty of three counts of assaulting an emergency worker, one of criminal damage and one of driving without due care and attention.

She has also had a previous conviction battery in 2016 and another for criminal damage in 2009.

Presiding magistrate Margaret Macallen said: “This was an assault where weapons were used around vulnerable patients and visitors.

“It was in the middle of a global pandemic where visiting hours were restricted nationally.”

Ms Miles received a sentence of 16 weeks in prison, which has been suspended for 12 months.

She also received a one-year restraining order not to go to the hospital ward where the incident happened. She is also prohibited from contacting any of the victims in the case.

Ms Miles has also been ordered to pay £250 compensation to the hospital for the damage caused, £200 to the NHS worker she threw things at, £100 each to the other two NHS workers and £100 to the security worker.

As well as this, her driving licence was given seven penalty points, she was made to pay £620 in prosecution costs and has been instructed to complete 30 days of a rehabilitation activity.