A MAN is back behind bars after abusing officers and staff at a hospital – just two days after being released from prison.

Simon Needs, who was released on Sunday, January 21, ended up in Southampton General Hospital where he threatened two on-duty police officers as well as using homophobic language towards a female security guard.

Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard that the officers were at the hospital at around 1.30am, dealing with the victim of an assault, when they heard Needs being loud and aggressive.

Natalie Angle, prosecutor, said: “Needs was shouting ‘If you touch me again I will smash your face’.

“The officers found him lying on a bed saying if he was touched he would hurt them.

“The attending doctor told Needs if he did not want to be helped he should leave.”

The court was told that the officers then tried to usher Needs out of the hospital – at one point they became so concerned he might harm members of the public that they told Needs they might use a Taser on him.

Miss Angle added: “As he was leaving he was shouting and swearing. It escalated further when a security guard was shouted at in a homophobic way before more threats to hurt people were delivered.”

The court heard that after he was released Needs spent the last of his money given to him on clothes and alcohol.

He did not know how he arrived at the hospital..

District Judge Lorraine Morgan said in sentencing: “Unacceptable and inappropriate – it’s just behaviour we will not tolerate.

“This was a hospital where there were sick people needing to be helped. There doctors, nurses and security guards all trying to do their jobs.”

She added: “Immediate imprisonment of custody is all you can expect.”

Needs, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to causing alarm in a public place.

He was sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment and ordered to pay £115 victim surcharge.