A MAN has admitted to threatening to storm a maternity unit and “rifle all the babies”.

Ben Lupi made the chilling comments at Crosshouse Hospital on October 19 after his daughter was committed to one of the wards two days before.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard that the 61-year-old became agitated and threatening after claiming that no one had been to see his daughter over the weekend.

At around 11.45am staff treating his daughter had to speak with her and explained to Lupi and his wife, who were present at the time, that it was a 9am-5pm service.

Lupi then became aggressive and began blaming his daughter’s boyfriend.

He said: “He’s a scrawny wee thing. If I punched him that would be it.”

He also demanded a detailed account of what his daughter had disclosed to members of staff.

They further explained that it was only an initial assessment and further work still had to be carried out.

Lupi continued to be agitated and stated to his wife: “This is not for the ears of the police or the social work.”

He then made his shocking threat, saying: “I’d go into maternity and rifle all the babies. I would, I would do it.”

His horrified wife told him not to be stupid, saying: "You wouldn’t do that.”

But an adamant Lupi replied: “I know I would. Any harm that came to my daughter, I’d take it away from everyone else.”

The two staff members were concerned about Lupi’s comments and left the room.

After returning to speak to Lupi, he indicated he had a firearms licence.

Following his remark, the staff decided to contact the police.

Police Officers traced him at his home address in 

Rodney Drive, Girvan, later that evening just before 9pm.

After being taken to Ayr Police Office, Lupi was cautioned and charged.

He then replied: “I made a remark that I felt so low that I could take a machine gun to a load of babies but I didn’t mean it literally.”

Lupi appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week and pled guilty.

Defence solicitor Martin Annan described the unsavoury incident as a “highly charged situation”.

He revealed the hospital are still happy to communicate with Lupi and his daughter’s health is his main focus.

In relation to Lupi’s firearms claims, Mr Annan said his client relinquished his licence between 2006 and 2007 and has no weapons in his house.

Before calling for a Criminal Justice Social Work report, Sheriff McDonald said: “This could simply be a situation where you have got very emotional and said inappropriate things at a time you shouldn’t have."

He said the two staff members were who are only doing their job and continued, "and in today’s context any mention of firearms raises huge alarm bells.”

Lupi will return to court in December for sentencing.