UPSET about having to wait for his doctor’s appointment, a Prestonpans man lay on the floor of a medical centre and refused to get up, before assaulting a police officer called out to deal with his behaviour.

Hugh Benn assaulted PC Callum Rearie by kicking him on the body, causing the officer to stumble backwards, during the incident at the Esk Centre in Musselburgh last year.

Benn also uttered abusive remarks and threats of violence towards PC Michael Carne, including calling the officer “a big ****”, Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told last year.

Benn, 47, was said to have been upset due to having to wait for his appointment and caused a disturbance by lying on the floor of a room at the centre and refusing to get up.

Police were called and Benn soon turned his aggression towards the officers when he made threats of violence towards them on March 27 last year.

The former serviceman also carried out a separate offence by behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and adopting an aggressive attitude towards police officers at Bankton Pharmacy at Hawthorn Road in Prestonpans.

On that occasion, Benn, of Preston Avenue, swore and uttered offensive remarks and threats to officers who had been called out to deal with him on January 24 last year.

Benn pleaded guilty to both offences when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last year and he returned to the dock for sentencing last Monday.

Sheriff Kenneth Maciver placed Benn on a supervision order for the next 18 months and ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in the community as punishment.

Previously, the court was told that Benn arrived at the Ladywell Way medical centre for an appointment with a doctor at about 9.30am on March 22, 2022.

Police officers were then asked to attend the centre “regarding the conduct of Mr Benn”, where they found him lying on the floor in a room within the medical practice.

An item was said to have fallen out of his pocket during the incident and, as one of the officers bent down to pick it up, Benn lashed out with his feet.

The kick was said to have “connected with the upper torso” of the officer, who was wearing body armour.

The court was told Benn had shouted “I’m going to kick you right between the legs” and also called one officer “a big p**f”.

Benn also shouted a third comment which was said to be: “I’ll find where you live and I will stand on your neck so you turn blue and I will enjoy it.”

Benn pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Bankton Pharmacy on January 24 last year.

He also admitted assaulting PC Callum Rearie by kicking him to the body at the Esk Centre on March 22 last year, as well as behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by uttering abusive remarks and threatening violence towards PC Michael Carne during the same incident.