Drunken offender focuses his fury on bespectacled police officer at Forth Valley Royal Hospital

Alexander Sweeney, 29, turned his inebriated aggression towards officers – and their police vehicle – and was told his drunken state was no excuse for the way he behaved.

Sweeney appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour – repeatedly spitting over the inside of a police vehicle – at Forth Valley Royal Hospital on June 19 last year.

Procurator fiscal depute Rachel Hill said: “It was 7.50pm and the accused was arrested on a warrant. He had an injury, so he was taken to Forth Valley Royal Hospital. While he was within the rear of the police vehicle he became aggressive towards officers, swearing at them.”

Sweeney made offensive comments regarding one officer’s spectacles and directing a derogatory term for disability at another officer.

It was stated Sweeney was “clearly in a poor state” when police officers found him as a result of his injuries and his consumption of alcohol and “illicit substances”.

The court heard Sweeney had no recollection of events.

Sheriff Alison Michie noted Sweeney, 32 Randolph Crescent, Bannockburn, had previously breached a community payback order.

She said: “Being under the influence of alcohol is no excuse for this behaviour.”

She placed him on a supervised community payback order for 12 months with the condition he complete 100 hours of unpaid work within that time.

A review was called for in three month’s time.