Hepatitis patient racially abused and assaulted medics and police who tried to help him after he collapsed in Preston

Michael Bailey, 39, who currently lives in a homeless hostel in Preston, had tried to take an overdose and was being tended to by paramedics on New Hall Lane, Preston, when he began to punch out at them.

He then suffered a seizure which rendered him unconscious, and was put into an ambulance as police arrived to reports of the assault at 8.25pm on August 8.

Preston Magistrates' Court heard Bailey was placed in handcuffs and taken to the Riyal Preston Hospital by ambulance, but came to and started lashing out.

Prosecuting Tracy Yates said at A and E, a medical practitioner assisted police in restraining him as he swore and called him a racist term.

Bailey also gave racist abuse to police.

She said: "He was shouting and swearing and was placed in restraints. He continued to shout and swear and officers had to restrain him until he was given medication.

" At 12.15am the sedative wore off. He became aggressive and had to be restrained in the resuscitation room.

"He spat in the police officer's face and is hepatitis C positive,and so the officer gave him an open palmed strike to the face to deter him from spitting again.

The court heard he was kept in hospital for three days and on a separate occasion assaulted them again.

In a police interview he said he couldn't remember the incident and was on a number of prescription drugs and had mental health issues.

He admitted assaulting a PC, two public order offences, and using racially aggravated threatening behaviour.

Defending, Sephton Lee said: "He was not in a good place. He tried to end his life that day and tells me he consumed an entire bottle of pills.

"He has no recollection of collapsing on New Hall Lane, or police or paramedics attending. He has little recollection of what happened at the hospital. He doesn't even remember being struck in the face by the officer.

"He was kept in hospital the rest of that week. In the second incident he had fallen asleep and nurses had placed an eye patch over his eyes. He remembers waking up and seeing total blackness and at this point started kicking his feet.

"Mr Bailey says he suffers from bad dreams and suffered some kind of episode.

"He's been shocked by these incidents as he has previous incidents of assault. He bitterly regrets his actions."