An NHS worker admitted pushing two colleagues and threatening to kill one after falling out with them after he allegedly had money stolen from his locker, a court heard.

Maintenance engineer Martin Mulligan, from Ashford, shouted, swore and called one of his colleagues a “scummy c***” after he arrived at Maidstone Hospital and the man asked him what was wrong.

The 55-year-old later got into the victim’s face and told them: “I’m going to f***** kill you,” before pushing him in the chest and shoulder area before another colleague intervened and told him to calm down.

Then a couple of days later, Mulligan singled out another work colleague and cornered him at a workbench – rushing into his personal space calling him scum.

He also spoke to him in an intimidating manner, before threatening him and pushing him in the chest saying: “I am going to hit you boy.”

When the man pointed out to Mulligan there was CCTV in the workshop, he replied: “I don’t give a f***.”

Mulligan, of Pilgrims Way, Charing, Ashford, was later interviewed by police over the matter and said he didn’t recall pushing anyone and claimed he had been on the receiving end of some abuse and he was being set up at work.

He was later charged with assault by beating and common assault before admitting both offences when he appeared before magistrates in Maidstone on July 24.

Magistrates heard the incidents happened on December 13 and December 15 last year and Mulligan had not been in trouble with the law since 2004.

Christina Rowberry, prosecuting, told the court: “He called them scummy c**** and said he was going to f****** kill one man before later pushing him and then he acted in an intimidating way and rushed into the other man’s personal space before pushing him in the chest.

“He was very aggressive and said, ‘I am going to hit you boy’.”

Karley Styles, defending, told the court her client had a record when he was younger and had been a bit of a tearaway in his 20s but had not been in trouble for some time.

She also said that Mulligan had fallen out with the two men he worked with after money went missing from a locker which belonged to him and that he’d reported the matter to HR and a member of staff had been dismissed, but that person had been friendly with the two victims in this case.

She added: “They were not happy the other person lost his job and they would mutter comments under their breath to him and after six weeks of it he’d had enough. He was not upset for no reason and the pushes were not with two hands.”

Magistrates also heard Mulligan had been off sick since the incident and doesn’t want to go back to work and is looking for another job.

The bench decided to give Mulligan a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered he pay £85 court costs and a £26 victim surcharge.