A RENTON man who shouted abuse at health workers after turning up at the Vale of Leven Hospital dripping wet and with his face covered in chocolate has been sent to prison.

A court heard that Christopher Carmouche told hospital staff he had fallen into the River Leven earlier that day, but couldn’t remember when or how it had happened.

Carmouche appeared for sentencing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Friday after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to charges relating to two separate incidents – one at the hospital on September 14, the other at the Benefits Agency office in Alexandria’s Bank Street on October 2.

The court was told the 35-year-old Tontine Park man, who was brought to the dock from custody, had breached a drug treatment and testing order imposed by the court earlier this year.

His solicitor described a “vicious circle” of drug misuse and mental health problems.

Describing the hospital incident, fiscal depute Claire Nicholls told the court police turned up at the hospital at around 8.20pm to find Carmouche causing a disturbance in the waiting area.

She said: : “At 8.20pm on September 14 police were instructed to attend the Vale of Leven Hospital.“They observed the accused shouting in the waiting area, and noted that his face was covered in chocolate and he was dripping wet.“He said he had fallen into the River Leven earlier that day but could not recall when or how.“Staff decided he was not to be seen due to his aggressive behaviour.

“He shouted “f*** you” and “f*** off” to police and refused to leave, and continued to shout and swear after being arrested.”

Carmouche was taken to Clydebank police station where he informed officers that he had “some green on him”, and a search, Ms Nicholls said, found 20.4 grams of herbal cannabis. in his possession.

Ms Nicholls then said Carmouche had been seen at the benefits office on the morning of October 2, where a staff witness reported him shouting “where’s my money?”.

She said: “The accused was escorted into a contained area.

“The witness remained outside while the accused was spoken to by another member of staff.

“The witness heard the accused call that staff member a “f****** tosser”.

“The meeting was terminated but the accused continued to shout and swear.

“He was observed to be waving his hands about and shouting and swearing about not getting his money.

“This behaviour went on for five to 10 minutes. The accused left of his own accord and then attempted to re-enter the building but was stopped.”

Carmouche was traced nearby and taken to Clydebank police office.

Earlier this year Carmouche was put on a drug treatment and testing order (DTTO) for threatening staff at the Joint Hospital in Dumbarton with violence and brandishing a knife at police.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said: “There is a depressing familiarity about this.

“If it’s not the Joint Hospital it’s the Vale of Leven Hospital, and if it’s not a hospital it’s the Benefits Agency.

“We thought there was a possibility of things being turned around, but this is not merely a breach – it’s a bad breach.”

Carmouche’s solicitor, Tom Brown, said his client was stuck in a “vicious cycle” caused by drug induced mental health problems.

: “It’s a vicious circle. It’s a mental health problem induced by drugs.

“The court tried to put him on a drug treatment and testing order in the hope it would assist his drug situation and that that would then improve his psychiatric situation.

“We got to a third review [of the order] and the reports were reasonable. The fourth review flagged up problems.

“The last review report indicated the DTTO people can’t work with him and I’ve explained to him that’s a big problem.

He said: “When his mental health is reasonable they can work with him. When it’s bad, they can’t.”

Carmouche was jailed for seven months for the Vale hospital incident and admonished for possession of cannabis.

“Sentence for his outburst at the DWP office was deferred until January to allow Carmouche to be assessed, while in prison, as to his suitability for a new DTTO.

Sheriff Hendry told him: “The primary responsibility for you committing offences lies with you.

“You choose to allow yourself to take drugs, and you know what happens when you do – you lose control, commit offences, and terrify innocent members of the community by the way you conduct yourself.

“I’m not prepared to tolerate that.”