A 22-year-old woman involved in two spitting incidents at Borders General Hospital has been jailed for four months at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Cassie Robotham pleaded guilty to the assaults on security officers within the space of three months.

And Sheriff Peter Paterson said that he had no alternative but to imnpose a custodial sentence.

Outlining the details of the first offence in the casualty department on March 10, depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson described how security officers started their shift at 10pm.

She said: "Shortly after that they were required to attend at accident and emergency as the accused was causing problems and refusing to leave after being discharged.

"There were a number of people in the waiting room who were requiring treatment who witnessed this.

"The accused was shouting f******g doctor and was asked to calm down but started kicking equipment."

Robotham then started shouting, 'this is f****** ridiculous. I want a doctor now. You are not helping'.

Ms Robertson added: "She was escorted out of the department but kept making attempts to run back in and then spat at a security officer which landed on his body."

Robotham, formerly of Burnhead Road in Hawick, and Grieve Avenue in Jedburgh, also pleaded guilty to a similar assault at the hospital on June 10.

She was abusive and made threats towards the security officer who was trying to calm her down and spat in his face.

Robotham spat again at the male guard just as police officers were arriving at the accident and emergency department to arrest her.

Her lawyer admitted: "Behaviour of this sort is bad enough but when it happens at a hospital involving people trying to help you then it is an aggravated offence.

"These are serious offences and my client admits it is poor behaviour."

Robotham was described as having mental health problems and had not taken her medication at the time of the offences.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said if it had been an isolated case the court could have considered a community-based disposal.

But he added: "Yet three months later you commit the same offence at Borders General Hospital where you again spit at members of the security staff in an environment where there are sick people waiting treatment.

"In my view there is no alternative to a custodial sentence."

Robotham was jailed for four months.