Retford: A patient from Rampton Hospital attacked a nurse with a key after he was told he could not have sweets

A 28-year-old patient from Rampton Hospital attacked a nurse with a key after being told he wasn’t allowed sweets, a court heard.
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In Court

Martin Jones,28, of Aintree Ward, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to nurse Michael Cooper at Worksop Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 11th September.

The court heard that on 21st November 2013, during mid-morning drinks, Jones helped himself to a bag of sweets.

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At the high security unit, patients are allowed to have one snack in between meals and by Jones having a whole bag of sweets,it was breaking the rules.

Nursing assistant Cooper was one of the people who noticed Jones holding the sweets.

The court heard how Cooper reminded Jones of the rules and he started to walk towards the locker, which is where the snacks are kept, but sharply turned around and started heading in the nursing assistant’s direction.

Prosecuting, Donna Fawcett said: “Mr Cooper saw the look on the defendant’s face and knew something wasn’t right.”

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“Jones shouted before putting his arm around Cooper’s head.”

Cooper said he then felt s a thumb being pressed into his scalp and then something sharp, which he realised was the locker key.

The victim managed to push Jones away and the other nurses on the ward restrained him to the floor.

After, Cooper could feel blood dripping from his head.

He went straight to the doctors who found two cuts on his head.

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The magistrates heard how Cooper took a week off work to recover from the incident, which resulted in him not receiving £90 of “enhanced pay.”

In mitigation, David Verity said: “My client has shown genuine remorse for what he has done and the attack happened a lot time ago.”

“There has been no further problems since.”

Mr Verity added that Jones had been stressed at the time because of family problems and everything had got to him.

When Cooper told him he wasn’t allowed the bag of sweets, it made Jones even more upset and stressed.

The court was told by Mr Verity that Cooper did not mean to use the key on Jones in the attack.

Worksop Magistrates’ Court ordered Jones to pay £240 compensation to the victim and £85 in court costs.

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