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KAMLOOPS - A Kamloops man has been released from jail after pleading guilty to assaulting his girlfriend and nurses at Royal Inland Hospital.

Kelly Wilde Arens, 26, appeared in Kamloops Provincial Court yesterday, July 18, on several charges including assault and uttering threats.

Crown prosecutor Oliver Potestio told the court that in April 2015, Arens was admitted to Royal Inland Hospital's emergency room with complaints of a headache. He told the staff he had 10 beers prior to coming in.

He urinated in his hospital bed and the nurses told him they needed to change the sheets. Arens told them to leave him alone and became agitated. He rolled over and hospital staff noticed he had a bottle of liquor with him.

Court heard that Arens tried to kick and punch the staff before he grabbed a nurse in a "bear hug" and flipped her on top of him and punching her. Arens was cursing at them while four staff members tried to restrain him. He said to a nurse, "I'm going to bounce your head off the floor."

RCMP attended the hospital and arrested him, but Arens was eventually let out on bail. His charges have been pending trial ever since.

In March of this year, Arens's girlfriend phoned the RCMP to ask for an escort back to the home she shared with him. Court heard Arens had come home drunk and got into a fight with his girlfriend. When RCMP brought the woman back to her residence, they found him sleeping on the couch. He was arrested.

His girlfriend told the police he had been drunk every day for a week. On this day, she tried to make a bed on the couch for him, when he pinned her on the bed and punched her in the arm. He was released on bail the next day.

This past April, Arens failed to report to his bail officer and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was arrested on July 2 and has been in custody ever since.

Arens has been credited with 24 days of being in custody, and yesterday Judge Christopher Cleaveley sentenced him to time served.

Defence lawyer Chris Thompson says alcohol is an ongoing struggle for Arens.

"He's had a problem with alcohol for about 10 years," Thompson told the court. "He realizes he has an alcohol problem and he wants to do something about it."

When Cleaveley asked Arens if he had anything to say, he took the opportunity.

"I admit I have a serious problem with alcohol," Arens said. "I don't have a criminal mindset."

The judge echoed that statement, noting how important it is to get his life together while he's young.

"You're a young man, sir," Cleaveley said. "You need to address this alcohol problem because it's out of control."

Along with the one year probation, Arens will not be allowed contact with the nurses he attacked at Royal Inland Hospital unless it's an emergency. He's not allowed to consume alcohol or attend liquor stores, and he is to apologize to the nurses.

Arens's girlfriend wrote a letter to the judge, opposing a no-contact order for her.

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