Rampton patient bit male nurse after TV row

The attack took place in the morning of August 28, 2016, when the assistant tried to take Anthony Hawkins to a quiet room, after he had been pestering a female nurse.

“The assistant was concerned about her safety and went over to calm the defendant down,” said Kate Beardmore, prosecuting.

“It was a nasty bite which broke the skin.”

The nursing assistant was off work for three weeks with damaged ligaments and limited use of his arm.

He was moved to another ward to avoid further conflict with Hawkins, who had a tendency to victimise those he had lashed out at.

“Because of the therapeutic relationship he had built with other patients it took the assistant some time to come to terms with the fact that he had to move,” she said.

The court heard that Hawkins, 36, received a life sentence in 2013 for wounding with intent.

He admitted the assault by beating, via his solicitor, Amarpal Singh, at Mansfield Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Mr Singh said it became clear that he was suffering from “severe mental health issues” while in prison, but since his transfer to Rampton there had been no violent incidents.

The female nurse told him he was invading her personal space when he complained that he wasn’t allowed to watch what he wanted on television.

Because Hawkins had previous convictions for sexual offences, he “became worried that people would perceive this as a sexual offence”, said Mr Singh.

“Since then there have been no further issues. He is very apologetic.”

Magistrates gave him an 18 month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £100 compensation, with £85 costs which will be deducted from the £30 per week “pocket money” he receives.