A pensioner says he has no memory of causing a violent disturbance at Perth Royal Infirmary.
David Livingston, 73, is thought to have been brought to the busy hospital after being knocked down by a car.
After leaving A&E, he went to a stranger’s vehicle and began beating on the window.
He then hauled open the car door and grabbed the driver by the neck.
Other witnesses intervened after hearing Livingston’s victim, Mohammed Irfan, scream: “You are trying to kill me.”
Livingston appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, likely to cause fear and alarm, at the car park on on May 17 last year.
Sheriff Gillian Wade told him: “This is a serious offence and you have no explanation for the way you acted.
“But this would have been a very distressing incident for the people involved, who were only trying to assist you.”
He was fined £600.
Witnesses left ‘distressed’
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson said the fracas happened just after 5pm. “It is believed that the accused had attended at the hospital in relation to a sore hip.”
She said: “Mr Irfan was within his vehicle, which was parked and stationary outside the hospital.
“He was in the driver’s seat when he was approached by the accused, who appeared from the entrance of the Accident and Emergency unit.
“The accused suddenly began to punch the front offside window of the complainer’s car and proceeded to open the door.”
Livingston, of Needless Road, Perth, admitted shouting and behaving in an aggressive manner.
He seized Mr Irfan by the throat.
Ms Hodgson said: “The complainer shouted to the accused: ‘You are trying to kill me.'”
Overhearing the commotion, passer-by Nicole Lyall challenged Livingston.
“The accused reached out and attempted to grab the witness,” said the fiscal depute.
“He was asked to calm down and stop what he was doing.
“He obliged and walked out of the car park.”
Ms Hodgson said the witnesses were left “distressed but uninjured”.
Livingston was later traced by police officers, who believed he was under the influence of alcohol.
‘No explanation’
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said: “Mr Livingston is 73 and has no previous convictions.
“Its fair to described this as an isolated incident.”
He said: “Mr Livingston has no explanation of why he was at the hospital in the first place.
“He had taken some alcohol at home earlier and it seems he was taken to A&E for treatment for an injured hip.
“He was perhaps knocked over by a car but he has no memory of what happened.
“He can only apologise that his actions have caused such concern.”
Mr Holmes said his client, who had served in the armed forces, was “very much a person who is a reasonable member of society” and “absolutely not someone who you would expect to find in court”.
He added: “Mr Livingston finds this all very embarrassing.”
