A man hurled a chair at a doctor while under the influence of legal highs.
John Foley had presented himself at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth after experiencing side-effects from the substances.
However, he became violent after being told he was being discharged, eventually being restrained by police.
Depute fiscal Sue Ruta said: “The complainer was the on-call doctor in the crisis team at Murray Royal Hospital. He had been carrying out a psychiatric assessment on the accused.
“At about 10.15pm, the doctor advised the accused he was to be discharged. At this point the accused became extremely violent towards the doctor, picked up a chair and threw it at him.
“The doctor and a nurse became fearful. They withdrew to a safe area and police were called. Police arrived almost immediately. The accused was advised that he was to be arrested.”
She added that the accused had “struggled violently” and “lashed out with his arms and legs”.
The doctor was not injured during the incident.
Solicitor David Holmes, representing Foley, said he had gone to the psychiatric unit because he felt he was suffering a psychotic episode after taking legal highs.
“He was at the hospital and behaving reasonably,” he said. “It was only when he was told he was being discharged that he reacted.
“He thought he was safe from feelings that were life-threatening to him. He felt that he had sought help but had not received it.
“The impact of these drugs is unpredictable if you are not used to them. Mr Foley’s record is not one of violence. He can only apologise to those who were trying to treat him that day.”
The 32-year-old, of Pullar Terrace, Perth, had previously admitted assaulting a doctor at the Murray Royal Hospital on March 20 this year by throwing a chair at him.
He further admitted resisting police officers on the same date and at the same location.
Jailing Foley for five months, Sheriff Michael Fletcher said: “The locus and the nature of this offence is what makes it so serious.
“Doctors, nurses and other patients have to be protected from behaviour of this kind.
“It is being argued that a reason for this offence is because you took legal highs, but that is not an excuse for behaviour of that kind.”