A stab victim who was being treated at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary raged at hospital staff calling them ‘ NHS scumbags’, a court has heard.
Troy Hanlin, 26, was brought to the hospital with a laceration to his leg after being knifed. He demanded food from staff and sprayed blood by pulling out his drip feed.
He shouted and swore at medical workers, telling them: “I want some f******g food.
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Staff gave him 'food, tea and other comforts' in a bid to pacify him, but the ungrateful lout pulled out a needle causing his blood to shoot out.
And he pulled out a second cannula after being told he was being discharged, leaving staff exposed to an uncapped needle. Hanlin appeared at the city’s sheriff court on Tuesday and pled guilty to a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour.
Fiscal depute Chelsea Martin told how Hanlin was brought into the A&E department at the ERI and was 'immediately hostile towards staff'. After his vulgar demands for food, Hanlin 'swung his arms about wildly' after being injected by a medical practitioner with a cannula needle, causing the blood spray.
Ms Martin said: “Members of staff attempted to calm the accused with food, tea and other comforts, but the accused continued to shout and swear, calling them “f***ing NHS scumbags”.”
The prosecutor said Hanlin was “volatile and uncooperative” throughout his hospital stay. Told he was being discharged, Ms Martin said Hanlin was 'outraged again' and pulled out a cannula in his upper arm in front of staff, leaving a needle 'exposed and uncapped'.
Police were contacted and Hanlin, of Livingston, West Lothian, was arrested and taken to St Leonards police station. Defence agent Charles Morrison said Hanlin had been stabbed when he attended the ERI on October 26 2021.
Sheriff Chris Dickson told Hanlin it had been 'appalling behaviour'. The sheriff deferred sentence until next month for reports.
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