Elliott Wade Knight, 23, of Dubbo, was found collapsed in a gutter outside a Lovett Avenue house at 2.32pm on May 5.

Dubbo Local Court was told Knight was hyperventilating and appeared to be in pain and restless.

Paramedics moved him to a stretcher and placed him in an ambulance for transfer to hospital.

Knight admitted letting his family down by using ice. He became increasingly aggressive and demanded to speak to his father.

Knight threw a phone at the ambulance officer positioned near the door, ignored requests to calm down and started to punch the paramedic in the rear of the ambulance.

He yelled "If you don't get my dad in the next 10 seconds I am going to punch your head in".

The aggression continued as Knight threatened "I am going to get you".

Fearing for his safety, the paramedic climbed into the cab and contacted the hospital requesting security on arrival.

When the ambulance pulled into the emergency entrance Knight got out and started swearing and pacing backwards and forwards.

The nursing manager approached Knight and led him into the triage area.

Knight told the nurse he had spent all his money on ice and repeatedly asked for his father to be contacted.

As staff tried to offer assistance Knight stood up and said "F--k you, I am going to get you".

Without warning Knight lashed out with clenched fists, hitting the nurse in the neck. The victim lifted both hands to protect his face from the punches.

A female security guard and male operations manager grabbed Knight and wrestled him to the ground. Other staff members provided assistance.

Knight was restrained until police arrived. He continued to resist as he was handcuffed to a hospital bed.

The court heard Knight was taken into custody on June 29 after he failed to appear in court.

"He was found guilty in his absence," a solicitor from the Aboriginal Legal Service said.

"He adheres to the conviction. A wealth of subjective material has been put before the court.

"He wants to enter detoxification and rehabilitation. He needs treatment and is willing to engage in everything and anything available to him.

"Upon release he would return to his family who remain supportive.

"He is not a long-term violent offender. If drug issues can be resolved he is not likely to offend again. He is remorseful and ashamed for letting his family down.

"He was under the influence of drugs. He had been released from custody and fell into old habits."

Magistrate Andrew Eckhold said jail was appropriate.

"This is almost an exact repeat of previous offending," the magistrate said.

"You were intoxicated in a gutter. An ambulance attended and you became aggressive. "You lashed out at the people trying to help you and had to be wrestled to the ground.

"You are intelligent and understand what you have done. It is clear you are sorry.

"Ice is associated with irrational behaviour and leads people to act violently. There is a real need for general and specific deterrence."

Knight was sentenced to eight months in jail for the assault. A non-parole period of three months was set.

He was sentenced to 12 months jail (with a non-parole period of one month) for stalking and intimidating.

"I have made a finding of special circumstances because of the need for drug rehabilitation," Magistrate Eckhold said.

"Upon release you are to be supervised by Community Corrections and directed into residential rehabilitation."