A TEENAGER who "ran riot" in a hospital unit and assaulted a security guard could remember nothing of the incident because he was so drunk, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard the last thing John Joseph Holden remembered was drinking vodka straight from the bottle and he could not recall leaving his home never mind the incident at the hospital.

Holden, of Stonehill Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Stuart Smalley and was ordered to do 200 hours community punishment.

Francis McEntee, prosecuting, said Holden was taken to hospital by ambulance about 9.10pm on December 18. He approached Mr Smalley and a colleague who were standing in the doorway and began asking questions.

"He was standing very close and Mr Smalley describes his behaviour as eye-balling," said Mr McEntee.

"After several requests he went and sat down but shortly after Mr Smalley was summoned to the medical assessment unit where the defendant was effectively running riot." When he was asked to leave the unit Holden began throwing punches at Mr Smalley and caught him just below the left eye.

He was eventually taken into the grounds by Mr Smalley and a colleague and when the police arrived they could see he was still struggling.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said that ironically Holden works as a security guard.

"He is honest enough to admit that he has absolutely no recollection of the events of this evening but he accepts fully the prosecution version," said Mr Taylor.

"The last thing he remembers is drinking vodka straight from the bottle."