A 19-YEAR-OLD who was abusive towards staff in South West Acute Acute Hospital and threatened a police officer on New Year’s Eve has been sentenced to four months in jail.

Rhys Neely, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to using disorderly behaviour at South West Acute Hospital and assault on police at December 31, 2016.

Neely appeared before Fermanagh Magistrates Court for sentencing on Monday afternoon, via videolink from Hydebank Young Offenders Centre.

The court heard that, at 11.45pm on December 31, police received a report that the defendant was being aggressive towards staff at the South West Acute Hospital, outside Enniskillen.

On arrival, officers observed Neely talking to ambulance staff outside the hospital.

He had swollen eyes, a bloody nose and a swollen mouth.

The teenager, who was unsteady on his feet and had dilated pupils, was in an “agitated” state. He claimed that the hospital staff were not letting him see his friend.

After entering the A&E department, the defendant shouted at hospital staff and the police. He then sat down with one officer, as the other went to speak to the staff.

Neely shouted that the hospital workers were “f**king useless” and told the officer that he was not scared of him and threatened to slap his head, the court was told.

The defendant then grabbed the officer’s CS spray cannister, before he was restrained and arrested.

As he was being conveyed into custody in a police vehicle, he lunged at the officers on two occasions and shouted: “F**k the PSNI. Orange b*****ds.”

Defending counsel, Stephen Chapman, handed in to the court a letter from his client’s GP, summarising his various issues.

The barrister said that it had been seven weeks since these offences had been committed and Neely had spent that time on remand in custody.

Mr Chapman continued that the defendant had received a suspended sentence several weeks before this incident.

He said that the teenager had spent the six to nine months prior to that on bail.

The barrister admitted that Neely had “some problems” with alcohol and, when the bail conditions had been removed, he “fell off the wagon”.

Mr Chapman said that the defendant’s inherent problems were “exacerbated” by the use of drink and drugs.

However, he urged the judge to give his client credit for his guilty pleas.

Deputy district judge, Philip Mateer, observed that the defendant had entered the hospital on New Year’s Eve and created this trouble in breach of a suspended sentence.

The Deputy District judge said that the courts now adopted a “zero tolerance” approach to violence in medical centres such as hospitals.

Taking into account his plea of guilty, Mr Mateer concluded by sentencing the defendant Rhys Neely to four months in jail.