Man lunged at police from his hospital bed

A38-year-old man told police: “I’ll show you what assault is”, before attempting to leap from a hospital bed.

Kenneth Waddell had been taken to Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital following a disturbance at his home.

During this he had lashed out at officers and called one a sexually explicit homophobic slur.

Waddell had initially called officers to his home to report a domestic incident.

He became aggressive and appeared to lose consciousness, which resulted in him being taken to A&E.

Fiscal depute Jill Currie told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court police had been called at around 3.30pm and four officers attended.

Waddell was already “agitated and aggressive”.

When he was denied access to the room in which his partner was, Waddell began walking around with his phone held up, claiming he was making a Facebook Live video for his “associates”.

Ms Currie continued: “During this he was repeatedly abusive, shouting words and was seen to make gestures along with this.

“His behaviour continued to worsen and he walked towards PC Campbell and squared up to him with his body and arms tensed in a threatening manner.

“He was cautioned and arrested for threatening and abusive behaviour and restrained using open hand techniques.”

When two constables attempted to handcuff him, Waddell freed his arms and flailed them aggressively and lunged at one of the officers, striking him on his forearm.

Ms Currie said: “Officers restrained him and handcuffed him so he was under control.

“However, he stated he could not breathe and began jerking his body as if he was having a seizure. He was taken to the garden for fresh air but went limp and did not engage with officers.”

Paramedics were called but before they arrived Waddell appeared to “selectively” rouse from unconsciousness to hurl abuse, including homophobic slurs, at officers.

He was taken to the Victoria Hospital and when told he was being charged with police assault, said: “Assault, I’ll show you assault”.

Ms Currie said Waddell then leapt from the bed and struggled with officers, during which one of the policemen was hit by spittle.

Solicitor Mark Harrower, defending, said Waddell had collided with an officer who came into the house without knocking, resulting in his aggression.

He said: “When police arrived his position is he was coming down stairs and a police officer entered uninvited, possibly anxious of the domestic nature of the call.

“They collided in the hallway and Mr Waddell accepts this set him off.

“There’s a confrontation and he struggled with police.

“He had to be taken outside because he lost consciousness.”

The solicitor acknowledged that Waddell’s comments to the police officers had been “completely unacceptable”.

Waddell, of Larach Court, Kirkcaldy, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, and resisting and assaulting police officers on March 1 last year.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis jailed him for a total of 12 months.

Kenneth Waddell was taken to hospital after a disturbance at his home.