AN ANGRY man threw himself onto a moving taxi and smashed its windscreen in a bid to get himself hospitalised — after medics had discharged him.

Ross Thompson, 33, initially laid down in the road in front of 'live' traffic shortly after 4am, forcing drivers to swerve their vehicles to avoid running over him.

But when that didn't work he decided to make sure he was hit by a passing car by deliberately hurling himself at the cab and sparking a string of calls to police.

Prosecutor Lindy Scaife told Greenock Sheriff Court: "The accused had earlier been taken to hospital by ambulance and was discharged because he was deemed to be in no need of treatment.

"He took umbrage at this and loudly declared his dissatisfaction within the accident and emergency department."

The court heard that Thompson left Inverclyde Royal when he was asked to do so but shortly afterwards two motorists turned up to say that a man was lying on the road outside.

Fiscal depute Ms Scaife said: "At 4.27am both drivers attended at A&E and told staff that they had to swerve to avoid hitting him.

"There was then a report to police of a male having been struck by a taxi outside the hospital, and then a second call from the taxi driver to say that a male had thrown himself onto his taxi.

"Police went to A&E and the accused was sitting in the area.

"He admitted that he had lain in the road in front of live traffic and when that hadn't worked he deliberately jumped onto a moving taxi."

Thompson, of Greenock's Broomhill Way, later assaulted a police officer by booting the door of a cell van which struck the male PC on the thigh.

He committed the offences on November 15.

His lawyer urged Sheriff Daniel Kelly to call for a background report and a psychological assessment, stating that the incident was 'more a cry for help' than a crime.

But Sheriff Kelly told Thompson: "I am not persuaded that reports are appropriate here.

"In light of your record the only appropriate disposal is a period of imprisonment."

Thompson was returned to jail to serve an unexpired 53-day portion of a previous sentence and was told that he will thereafter be locked up for a further 142 days.