Yob yelled abuse at staff in hospital

An Airdrie yob caused mayhem in a hospital’s A&E department after being taken there for treatment to an eye injury.

Christopher Graham, who appeared to be under the influence of drink or drugs, launched a tirade of abuse at a staff nurse and a junior doctor at Perth Royal Infirmary last May.

When he was later handcuffed and taken to a police van in the car park outside, he spat on the vehicle – and then tried to escape from it.

Graham, 27, also struggled violently and kicked out at an officer, striking him on the body.

The Glenview Street resident was spared a jail term when he appeared for sentence at Perth Sheriff Court last month – but only because there had been a “marked improvement”in his behaviour in recent years.

Sheriff Gillian Wade told him: “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt by imposing a very high-level community-based order.”

Graham will have to complete 270 hours of unpaid work and be supervised by a social worker for 18 months.

Sheriff Wade condemned his assault on the police officer and his violent and aggressive actions towards hospital staff, saying: “Other members of the public would be deprived of their services because of your behaviour so this is a very serious matter.”

Graham admitted that, on May 21 last year at the hospital’s emergency department, he shouted and swore and made derogatory remarks towards a female staff nurse and a male junior doctor.

He then spat on a marked police vehicle in the car park outside, attempted to exit it and break free from police custody.

Graham also struggled violently and kicked a male constable on the body.

Depute fiscal Robbie Brown told the court Graham became aggressive in the A&E department and went“face-toface”with the doctor, calling him “a f****t.”

A solicitor for the accused said: “My client has asked me to express his deep regret in relation to his conduct.

“He had suffered a head injury and had taken alcohol and cannabis.

“That is given as an explanation – not an excuse.”