A “WANDERING alcoholic” has been remanded in custody for assaulting staff at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

An ambulance took an intoxicated Brian Harper to Accident and Emergency in the early hours of Monday, October 20, after a concerned member of the public raised the alarm.

At hospital, 68-year-old Harper spent 50 minutes being verbally abusive and violent.

Julie Rosamond, prosecuting at Worcester Magistrates Court on Wednesday said two nursing staff tried to get Harper to stay in a cubicle, but he assaulted them both by grabbing their arms roughly.

Having been told to leave, a hospital security guard became involved.

Mrs Rosamond said: “The security guard says, ‘He (Harper) swung his arms towards me with his fist clenched. He missed but the momentum of stepping back made me fall. Harper landed on top of me’.

“He again tried to punch the security guard and made contact.

“Harper spat at him, but fortunately he managed to step away and avoid it.”

Sarah Brady said Harper, who pleaded guilty to three counts of assault and breaching an anti-social behaviour order, had lost his marriage, job and home a long time ago and “for many years now has been a wandering alcoholic”.

“His drinking is utterly out-of-control at present,” she said.

“Because he gets a pension he can afford to drink himself into a state of forgetfulness every day. He has lost control over everything in his life and he is at risk on the streets.

“He tells me, only yesterday, he attended the day centre in Worcester where he was threatened by a much taller, younger man and £20 was taken off him.

Deputy district judge John Begley said his powers to imprison Harper for up to six months were insufficient and ordered he be sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, November 21.