Sunderland teenager spat phlegm at hospital security staff after they confiscated his Lambrini

Dylan Brown, 18, of Faber Road, Southwick, was relieved of the booze in the grounds of Sunderland Royal Hospital on Thursday, April 30, a court heard.

But an hour later the same guards were called to deal with Brown in the emergency unit, where he was suspected of pretending to be unconscious.

He was recognised as the earlier alcohol culprit – and when led away he warned: “I’m going to spit at you.”

Magistrates in South Tyneside were told Brown fired phlegm at the men but missed and hit a wall.

Prosecutor Oriana Frame said the defendant ran off and jumped over a 6ft wall into adjoining Kayll Road.

Police were called when the guards saw him repeatedly stagger into the path of cars, she said.

Ms Frame said: “At approximately 4.50pm they see a young male drinking a bottle of Lambrini in a smoking shelter at the hospital.

“They had had a previous encounter with him at about 2pm. They ask him to stop drinking alcohol and ask him to leave.

“The Lambrini was taken from him, as it could be used as a weapon. He pulls a second bottle of Lambrini from a bag.

“He raises it above his head and says, ‘I’ll knock you out’. They went to get it from him.”

Ms Frame said the incident went unreported, but at 5.40pm a staff nurse requested they come quickly to A&E.

She added: “They defendant was on the floor, looking like he was unconscious. They thought that he was just pretending.

“He got up. He was swearing as he was walking through the waiting area. He turned around and said, ‘I’m going to spit at you’.

“He snatched up phlegm. It didn’t hit them, it hit just above the door. He then left and jumped over a 6ft wall.

“By the time the guards get there, the defendant was staggering around.

“He fell into Kayll Road a number of times, and traffic had to avoid him. They called the police.”

Frame, who the court heard is in desperate need of support and help, could have been jailed for six months for each of the two common assault charges he admitted.

Magistrates instead handed him an 18-month community order and ordered him to pay the security men £50 each in compensation.

Gerry Armstrong, defending, said Brown’s life had been in turmoil since the recent death of a close relative.

He added: “I hear what the security guards say but the public order offence wasn’t reported to the police.

“The spitting wasn’t reported to the police. They rang the police only after he ran off and was in the road.

“This is a very troubled young man. There’s nobody looking after him.”

For the assault charges, Brown must also complete 20 days of rehabilitation work with the Probation Service and do 100 hours of unpaid work.

He also pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour, for which there was no separate penalty.

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