Court hears parents shielded children from Antrim Area Hospital patient's foul-mouthed tirade

Details emerged as Robbie Scott (26), of Beechview Courtyard, Crumlin was sentenced for being disorderly on March 14 this year.

Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena, heard police were called to Crumlin due to a concern for safety of Scott who had been lying on footpath for some time.

Police took him to hospital to get medical attention and whilst in the waiting area he became "aggressive and belligerent" and was warned on a number of occasions about his behaviour.

He continued to shout and swear in the presence of others.

"Young children had their ears covered by adults during the tirade from the defendant," a prosecutor said.

A defence solicitor said sentencing had been deferred from earlier this year and Scott had not re-offended and "has taken no alcohol whatsoever".

District Judge Nigel Broderick said normally for offences of this nature the court would have no hesitation in sending a defendant straight to prison.

However, he said, as the defendant had honoured the conditions of a deferral period he was handing down a three months prison term, suspended for a year.