A drunk patient tried to punch a doctor before wrestling him to the ground in the accident and emergency department at Ninewells, Dundee Sheriff Court has heard.
Leon Kiernan, 37, of Spey Drive, was jailed for 11 months on Wednesday by Sheriff Alistair Brown after he admitted he assaulted, obstructed or hindered Dr Michael Donald by struggling with him, whereby they both ended up on the ground on May 27.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, shouting and swearing at staff members and threatening them with violence. The court heard Kiernan had gone to A&E with a cut on his arm and had been aggressive towards Dr Donald.
He attempted to punch the doctor before assaulting him and threatening several staff members. Police were called and he was arrested.
An agent for Kiernan said he was “very sorry” for his behaviour but said the doctor had shouted at him, which led to him losing his temper.
“He feels that the tension was raised by the doctor but he accepts that after that his behaviour was disgusting. He was drunk, he had been waiting for a time for a bandage on his arm, he was leaving and the doctor shouted at him.”
Sheriff Brown said being drunk could not be taken into consideration and said it was “absolutely unacceptable” for him to behave like that in the A&E, to subject members of the public to that type of behaviour and to treat staff members going about their daily jobs like that.