A&E patient went on the rampage
Man smashed glass partition at Hairmyres
A patient at University Hospital Hairmyres admitted going on the rampage after being told he was being discharged.
Scott Llewellyn smashed a glass partition of a reception area in the A&E department with a fire extinguisher and had to be restrained by security staff after he tried to strike a nurse with the object on March 21.
At Hamilton Sheriff Court, Llewellyn, who appeared from custody but whose address is White Horse Walk, Westwood, pled guilty to a number of charges including trying to headbutt a nurse, striking a female nurse on the body with a fire extinguisher as well as shouting, swearing, uttering threats of violence, throwing leaflets about the floor of the reception area, repeatedly shouting and swearing over the hospital tannoy system and shouting and swearing at security officers and police.
The court heard from Llewellyn’s defence agent that he was known to staff at Hairmyres having being sectioned at the hospital shortly before the incident.
On the night in question, the 24-year-old had contacted an NHS phone line in distress and police attended his home and decided the best course of action was to take him to Hairmyres.
Prosecuting, depute fiscal Michael McIntosh said:“There were other patients within the A&E ward aged from 17 to 98 years old.
“At about 2.10am, a psychiatric liaison nurse finished assessing the accused and arranged a referral to the community psychiatric team later in the week. He appeared to be disappointed with the outcome and began to become abusive and aggressive.
“He attempted to headbutt the nurse and was then ushered out the ward and police were contacted. The accused re-entered the waiting area of A&E and then began kicking the door of the ward which was now locked.
“He struck a glass partition repeatedly and when he was unable to gain entry became even more agitated.”
The court then heard it was at this point Llewellyn grabbed the fire extinguisher off the wall and struck the reception window with it several times – showering scared staff with fragments of glass.
Security guards were called to A&E but by this time he had managed to get back into the ward and to a nursing station where he began to shout and swear over the hospital tannoy system causing alarm to those within the ward.
The fiscal added:“A female nurse tried to calm the accused down but he seized her by her uniform, saying ‘who the f*** are you, you wee boot’ and still in possession of the extinguisher, he swung it towards her and she blocked it with her left arm.”
When police arrived, Llewellyn continued to shout, swear and struggle and said to one officer ‘f*** off you baldy wee p**f ’.
He was eventually taken to Cathcart police station where he was detained. Llewellyn’s defence lawyer told the court there was a “clear psychiatric background” and there were “significant mental health issues”.
The lawyer went on to say that his client had taken alcohol but not his medication and had thought he would be admitted to the hospital.
Sheriff Marie Smart called for background reports and deferred sentence until February 16.
He attempted to headbutt the nurse and was then ushered out the ward