A bare-chested, blood-stained man caused havoc at Borders General Hospital's casualty department as a woman lay dying, Selkirk Sheriff Court has heard.

Grieving relatives were forced to listen to Joshua Watson shouting and swearing and making threats of violence during a prolonged disturbance.

Staff were forced to restrict just one relative to the bedside of the dying woman and moved the others to a safer area as they struggled to control the 25-year-old who claimed he had been stabbed in the head and abdomen.

Children had to be evacuated from the accident and emergency department waiting room at Borders General Hospital, into a ward so they were not subjected to the obscene comments from Watson.

One family took their child back to the car park and waited in their vehicle to avoid Watson.

A doctor told a trial that when he tried to treat Watson, he threatened to punch him if he touched his face.

And a staff nurse told how she pressed her panic alarm as soon as shirtless Watson came into the department late at night on September 22 shouting and swearing.

She said Watson initially ignored her and was asking two people alongside him to take a photograph of his injuries.

She added: "The problem was that the patient was shouting and using very bad language. He was quite agitated and even though we took him straight through from the waiting area he would not stay in his room."

Asked what she thought about Watson's behaviour, she replied: "I felt frustrated for the patients.

"That someone was lying there dying and their family had to listen to the swearing and shouting and abusive language because they could hear it all.

"I felt really awful for them all. The family with a dying mother. I was sad and angry about that."

Watson pled not guilty to a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour which was racially aggravated.

But after the nurses and the doctor gave evidence he changed his plea to guilty with the racist elements of the charge removed.

Watson of Mertoun Estate near Melrose, was sentenced to 90 hours unpaid work by Sheriff John Cook.

A not guilty plea to possession of cannabis at Hawick Police Station was accepted by the Crown.