A drunken yob who branded hospitals and nurses useless was looking sheepish when he later required treatment after a serious fall.
Gerard Rooney had hurled abuse at Wishaw General staff, calling them “p***y Wishy scumbags”.
But he had cause to be grateful to the NHS when he broke his collarbone and sustained a shoulder injury.
Rooney, 44, of Telford Street, Bellshill, admitted threatening or abusive behaviour at his home and at the hospital on July 14 last year.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard this week that Rooney made a 999 call shortly before 4am in which he threatened to kill himself.
Shaun Alexander, prosecuting, told the court: “Police officers went to his home and saw he was under the influence.
“Due to what he’d said on the phone, he was taken to hospital for assessment.
“While in Accident and Emergency, he became aggressive and began shouting at the police officers.
“At one point he warned ‘I’ll find you when you’re not wearing that uniform’.
“Rooney then became abusive towards nursing staff. He shouted ‘Hospitals do f*** all. Nurses are f****** pish. P***y Wishy scumbags’.
“When cautioned about his behaviour, he replied ‘Do I look like I care?’”
Rooney didn’t attend court for the case and his lawyer, Stephen MacBride, said that was because he’d fallen, sustaining a fractured collarbone and a shoulder injury.
Mr MacBride told the court: “At the time of this incident he was in a bad place.
“The police were there to help him and he treated them in a way that is completely unacceptable.
“Perhaps a fine could be imposed to prevent him spending more money on alcohol.”
Sheriff Moira MacKenzie fined Rooney, who admitted previous convictions, £160.
