Care worker lost the plot with family as they visited a relative at Bo'ness hospital

Rachel Wallace, procurator fiscal depute, said a family had been at the hospital visiting a relative, who suffers from dementia, when Heeps – who was working there at the time – came in the room.

"The accused arrived and began acting in an obnoxious manner, stating there were other patients for him to look after. The complainer asked for the accused’s name. The accused confirmed his name and appeared to be annoyed, beginning to rub his hands together.

"He then started clapping his hands in front of the complainer, who just stated they wanted their relative to be moved. The accused then started to become more irate stating how was he supposed to do that if there was no room.

"The complainer asked him not to talk like that in that manner and the accused became more aggressive, shouting and swearing – ‘what are you going to do about it?’.The complainer walked out of the room followed by the accused, who proceeded to square up to him.

"Shouting and swearing and stating ‘you think you’re the big man?’ and ‘if you want to keep going like that we will take it outside’. The complainer took this as a challenge to fight and the accused was right up in the complainer’s face.

"The complainer had to step backwards to create distance between them. Further witnesses arrived and separated them.”

The court heard Heeps meant he wanted to talk to the person in the corridor, out of the cramped room with the patient and other relatives, when he asked the family member to “take it outside”, not as a challenge to fight.

It was stated Heeps, who had been working in the care sector for 37 years with an unblemished record, acted out of character and was under a lot of stress at the time due to family matters and staff shortages at the hospital.

Currently suspended from his job, the court heard first offender Heeps now planned to retire early.

Sheriff Craig Harris fined Heeps, 20 Glenbervie Road, Grangemouth, £455 to be paid back at £25 per month.