Ronald Leo Nixon, 37, of Ogilvy St, Blayney, in the state’s central west, was taken to hospital after he was found unconscious in the Town Beach car park in the early hours of December 31.

According to police facts tendered in Port Macquarie Local Court, Nixon’s extremely violent and aggressive behaviour forced staff to contact police to remove him from the ambulance.

After he was assessed by triage nurses, Nixon was told to remain in the emergency waiting room with about 10 other patients, including children.

Nixon, who had a hand injury, started yelling offensive language and making rude gestures to the triage desk attendant.

The patients were taken to another room for safety reasons.

NSW Nurses Association general secretary Brett Holmes said there had been issues on the north coast because the health service was cutting back security staff to save money.

“There is always a concern what numbers of security are available when required,” Mr Holmes said.

The North Coast Area Health Service has denied any security staff cut backs.

“Although security assistants are there to deal with this type of incident, the police were phoned to remove the person as the person did not require medical treatment and was being a public nuisance,” a spokesman said.

“Hospital security is available at the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Following his behaviour at the hospital, Nixon was arrested and taken to Port Macquarie police station.

Very agitated, Nixon was forced into the charge room, where he continued to yell and wanted police to fight him.

He urinated in the dock and told an officer that if he saw him again in the street he would “put a knife” through his neck, cut his head off, and do obscene things to his wife.

Nixon pleaded guilty in Port Macquarie Local Court on Monday to resisting and intimidating police, damaging property, breaching bail conditions and offensive behaviour.

Magistrate Thomas Hodgson described the police intimidation as “nasty” and said Nixon had a long record of “violence and dishonesty”.

He was sentenced to nine months’ jail, without parole, for intimidating police and is due for release on September 30.

He also was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment for resisting police and two months for malicious damage, which will be served concurrently.

The remaining matters, including offensive behaviour at the hospital, were dismissed.