A drunk islander who grabbed a patient lying seriously ill in his hospital bed and told him he was dying has been jailed.
John Gillies, of Castlebay, Barra, previously pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour in St Brendan’s Hospital in Barra by telling staff he was going searching for bombs and guns.
He also admitted obstructing an nursing assistant when trying to seize her by the head.
Lochmaddy Sheriff Court heard the 48-
Drunk who pestered seriously ill patient is jailed
10 January 2015
Gillies -
Procurator fiscal David Teale explained Gillies was taken to the hospital of his own wellbeing after being found in a drunk and incapable state on 13th September.
He was given a bed for the night to keep him safe until he was sober.
But at 10pm that night, an hour after he was admitted, Gillies got out of bed and started wandering about the corridors, repeatedly refusing to go back to his own bed.
The fiscal said he went into a room where a 86-
In an attempt to grab a nurse, he swept his arm around, missing her when she ducked.
Gillies then tightly wrapped his arms about the patient’s head.
The fiscal said Gillies told the man he “was a good man for the cause and was going to die now. But it was OK because he was with him.”
Police arrive and discovered Gillies still in the patient’s room. He still refused to come out so was pulled to the floor and handcuffed.
Solicitor Duncan Burd said it was “appalling and atrocious” behaviour but Gillies, whom he said “drinks too much and misbehaves,” had no recollection of the event.
His client wanted to apologise to staff personally “but he is not welcomed back at the hospital.”
Mr Burd urged the sheriff to impose a community payback order with the condition of alcohol abuse treatment to help Gillies chronic drink problem.
However, Sheriff Fleetwood stressed he would “failing in my public duty” for any other option than prison.
Gillies was sentenced to six months on each charge, to run concurrently.