STAFF on the night shift in the casualty department of a North Yorkshire hospital were terrified by the antics of a troublemaker.

The man stormed past the reception desk at Harrogate District Hospital and demanded instant treatment, the town's magistrates were told yesterday.

Prosecutor Stephanie Brown said hod carrier Barry Cull, 45, staggered, mumbling, straight into the treatment area, getting increasingly agitated, swearing and demanding help.

Receptionist Helen Oliver tried to reason with him but he refused to sit down and wait his turn. And when a nurse went to make an emergency call to the police she was too frightened to do it as Cull stood right beside her in a threatening manner.

All the staff felt intimidated by Cull's actions and when Robin Kehoe, the senior nurse on duty, tried to calm him down and stop him using a stream of obscenities he had to fend Cull off as he approached him with his clenched fists raised.

Mrs Brown said the "carry on'' only ceased when a man whose wife was being treated in a cubicle remonstrated with Cull and escorted him out of the casualty department to the porters' desk.

Cull, of Kings Road, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to using threatening and abusive words and behaviour. He was made subject to a six-month community rehabilitation order and told to pay £50 costs.

In mitigation, Peter Olley said Cull was ashamed of his behaviour which had been inexcusable