Teenager Andrew Stephen punched and kicked two nurses at Swindon's Princess Margaret Hospital after a drugs binge at a nightclub, a court was told.

Stephen was barely conscious when he was taken to the accident and emergency department. But after recovering, he launched his assault. The attack was an example of an alarming increase in verbal and physical abuse on staff at PMH.

Hospital bosses have attempted to tackle the problem by adopting a zero tolerance policy, in which all incidents are reported to police.

Stephen, 19, who is believed to have taken three ecstasy tablets during a night out in Swindon, kicked one nurse in the shoulder and lashed out at a staff nurse.

Swindon magistrates heard the kick aggravated a road accident injury and caused pain for staff nurse Linda Traynor but staff nurse Deborah Rowland escaped without serious injury.

Sentencing slightly-built Stephen to 200 hours' community service over the next year, chairman of the bench Martin Cook told him: "This was an attack on nurses in the course of their duty who do not expect to be attacked. Deliberate kicking on one occurred. Nurses are public servants and this was in a hospital premises on a ward."

Prosecuting, Richard Thomas told the court that Stephen, of Showfield, Wootton Bassett, was admitted to the casualty unit for a blood test late on a Friday night in April.

"It was believed that he had taken three Ecstacy tablets," said Mr Thomas. "When he was arrived he was mute, his eyes were closed and he appeared uncommunicative. He remained in that condition and was taken to a side room."

Mr Thomas said that between 6am to 6.30am the next day Staff Nurse Linda Traynor administered a drip to Stephen and attempted to clean him.

He told the court: "He used his hand to push her away. She said she was only trying to clean him up. He was on his left side and he was curled away. Then his right leg kicked out. Staff Nurse Traynor believed the blow was aimed at her face."

Mr Thomas said the nurse tried to avoid the kick but, with Stephen swearing at her, was struck by his foot on her right shoulder - causing her a stiff neck which a consultant later diagnosed as minor nerve damage which exacerbated an earlier road accident.

The second attack, said Mr Thomas, occurred when Stephen, abusive again, swiped out some two hours later and struck Staff Nurse Deborah Rowland. She wasn't injured, but police called in arrested Stephen for the assaults.

Stephen told them he had been nightclubbing, had taken some Ecstacy and couldn't recall anything leading up to the evening when he woke up in hospital.

He accepted he may have kicked out at Staff Nurse Traynor but couldn't recall doing it, said Mr Thomas.

Defending, Stephen Weighell said: "There was no suggestion this was done deliberately. What was deliberate was taking the Ecstacy."

Magistrates said they had taken into account a doctor's letter about Stephen's health problems and the fact Stephen had returned to PMH to apologise to the nurses for his behaviour. They ordered him to pay £100 compensation to Staff Nurse Linda Traynor and £55 prosecution costs.

Outside court Stephen said: "I regret what I did. I'm clear of drugs now. I wrote an apology saying I was sorry I kicked out."