A 27-year-old man who yelled a death threat at a district judge after being refused bail has avoided contempt of court proceedings by apologising the next day.

James Briers, of Kilmakevit Road in Cullybackey, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with common assaults, disorderly behaviour and criminal damage following an incident at the Mater Hospital in the early hours of Saturday.

Police told the court that Briers threatened a triage nurse checking on his welfare shortly before 2.30am, using a sectarian slur and telling her to “f*** off”. He is also alleged to have called other staff “Fenians”, spat in one security guard’s eyes and mouth, and struck another on the face, knocking off and damaging his glasses.

Briers was arrested and later denied the charges. He said he had attended hospital with a suspected dislocated shoulder. He disputed spitting or assaulting anyone, though he accepted having a discussion with one of the injured parties.

On Monday, District Judge Steven Keown refused bail and remanded Briers into custody. As he was being taken from the dock, Briers shouted that the judge was a “scumbag” and a “Fenian scumbag”, and said he hoped the judge would be shot dead.

On Tuesday, contempt of court proceedings were opened. Briers appeared remotely from prison and told Judge Keown he was sorry for the way he had spoken. He said he had lost his temper and should have kept his mouth shut, adding that he genuinely regretted the threat and was not simply saying it.

Judge Keown accepted the apology and withdrew the contempt matter. He told Briers that the problem around hospital visits was Briers himself, not the hospital staff, and that his behaviour in court the previous day had demonstrated this. The case was adjourned until 21 September.