A disgruntled patient protested about his hospital treatment by wedging himself through the guard rails on a trolley bed and refusing to move.
Jason Lowe finally freed himself when the fire service attended with cutting equipment.
Lowe, of McLagan Drive, Hawick, was rushed by ambulance to Borders General Hospital after he complained of coughing blood while in police custody. But on a busy Saturday night in the accident and emergency ward, the 32-year-old repeatedly shouted and swore and refused to calm down.
Lowe appeared from custody at Selkirk Sheriff Court, pictured, on Monday and admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in the accident and emergency and x-ray departments on February 1/2, repeatedly shouting and swearing, tying a monitor cable round his neck, and wedging himself in a bed rail and refusing to move.
Prosecutor Tessa Bradley said Lowe was in police custody at Hawick on an unrelated matter when he complained of coughing blood and told officers he was worried he had a burst ulcer – something for which he had previously been in intensive care. An ambulance was called and he was taken to hospital.
“From the outset, he was shouting and demanding attention,” explained Ms Bradley, “but initially his behaviour was attributed to his condition.”
Lowe was told the blood was not coming from his stomach and his tests were clear, but he refused to accept the diagnosis, demanding a second opinion.
“His mood deteriorated, and he was warned repeatedly about his language, but continued to shout and swear,” said Ms Bradley.
Other patients were disturbed by his outburst and he was again warned to no effect.
Lowe removed a cable from a monitor and wound it round his neck. The cable was removed and Lowe was restrained on a trolley.
“He ... wedged himself through the small gaps in the trolley guard rails, refusing to remove himself,” continued Ms Bradley. “He said this was his silent protest at the way he had been treated,” she added.
Various unsuccessful attempts were made to get him to remove himself from the bed rails and the fire service had to be called and when they began assembling cutting equipment, Lowe decided to remove himself.
“He was eventually released into police custody at 3.15am,” said Ms Bradley.
In reply to caution, Lowe told police he suffered from depression and claimed the way he was treated by the emergency workers was “totally unprofessional”.
He accused the police and nursing staff of “sniggering” behind his back.
Solicitor Iain Burke, defending, said his client’s offending was aggravated by where it took place.
“He had previously been to the hospital some time ago, coughing blood, and ended up in intensive care with a burst ulcer. This behaviour was borne from frustration and fear, as he felt he was not being taken seriously,” said Mr Burke.
“He dug a hole for himself and carried on digging,” conceded Mr Burke, “and wishes to apologise to all concerned for his behaviour.”
Sheriff Peter Paterson jailed Lowe, who was on three bail orders at the time, for six months.
“My predecessor made it quite clear that this kind of behaviour at Borders General Hospital is not acceptable, and I fully endorse that,” he said.