Sectioned man lashed out at nurses

A MAN who was sectioned under the mental health act lashed out at nurses who were trying to give him medication, a court heard.

Martin Church punched and kicked nurses at Northgate Hospital in Great Yarmouth after he refused to take his medication.

Last Thursday at Yarmouth Magistrates Court, Church admitted assaulting two nurses at Northgate Hospital in October last year after being arrested by police over another matter.

The court heard how after being assessed by a doctor at the police station Church was sectioned and during his time at Northgate Hospital would often refuse to take his medication.

Elizabeth Houghton, prosecuting, said: “Because of that a nurse entered his room. She asked him to take his medication and he kicked out at her hitting her in the leg. Her colleague went in to assist and he was punched in the face receiving a cut to the right eye. He received treatment for bruising and swelling and had seven days off work as a result of his injury.”

The court heard that Church, who is on benefits, had a previous conviction for criminal damage in 2003.

Mitigating Robert Barley said: “Mr Church at that time was very unwell. He has received treatment for many years and his family raised concerns with Northgate Hospital last year about his increasingly difficult behaviour. It seems that he was not brought back into the system to deal with those difficulties.”

Mr Barley explained that Church had spent two months in a secure unit in Basildon but was now back in the community.

“Now he is now longer to subject section. He has to maintain his medication regardless of how well he feels and he realises the medication is to keep him well,” he said.

Magistrates accepted Church was “unwell” at the time of the incident but added they were nurses who were “doing their job” and he was violent towards them.

Church was sentenced to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay total compensation of £120.