Peter James McCabe faces jail time over ‘deplorable’ outburst in Warwick Hospital emergency department

‘I’ll go f---ing crazy’: The man exploded in the Warwick Hospital emergency department and abused staff after he was denied a prescription.

IN COURT: Peter James McCabe fronted Warwick court for an explosive outburst at the Warwick Hospital. Picture: file / News Regional Media

A man has blamed days of missing his medication for an explosive outburst in the Warwick Hospital emergency department, where he abused staff and threatened he would “go f---ing crazy”.

Peter James McCabe’s spiral began when a script he’d had filled at the hospital on the morning of June 16 was then knocked back by the pharmacist, saying the doctor had not given him full permission for the medication.

The Warwick Magistrates Court was told the 40-year-old left the pharmacy without his medication and instead headed back to the hospital’s emergency department to have the script corrected.

Police prosecutor Ken Wiggan said it wasn’t long after his return to the hospital that McCabe became aggressive towards staff, yelling and insulting the doctor he’d seen earlier that day.

Sergeant Wiggan said the Allora man was moved to a quiet room to calm down and it was explained to him why the doctor needed to see a confirmed diagnosis before approving the medication, but it didn’t take long for the conflict to escalate again.

“He was moved back to the waiting room, where he overheard a nurse talking on the phone saying he was being aggressive,” Sergeant Wiggan said.

“He said, ‘You’re saying I’m being aggressive? You think this is aggressive, I’ll show you aggressive!’.

“Staff told police they’d heard (McCabe) yell, ‘I need my medication or I’ll go f---ing crazy’.”

The Warwick court heard McCabe had previously been sentenced to jail with immediate parole and a period of probation for aggressive public outbursts.

Defence lawyer Phillip Crook said his client struggled with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and impulse control disorder, and ran out of his medication four days earlier.

Mr Crook added that McCabe tried to source a new prescription from his GP and other doctors before turning to Warwick Hospital, but was concerned for his unmedicated state and called a mental health hotline for assistance before leaving home.

“He was told it was going to cost him $48.40 and he only had about $20. The doctor at the hospital said he didn’t qualify and asked to check his records, and that was when this incident kicked in,” Mr Crook said.

“The police told him he was banned from the hospital. He went to the probation office and broke down in his (support worker)’s office, and she called the hospital and it was eventually organised for him to get the script.”

Magistrate Julian Noud told McCabe his conduct toward staff trying to serve the community was “pretty deplorable”.

McCabe pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance.

He was sentenced to 14 days’ jail, wholly suspended for nine months.