Mental health patient’s threats to kill

A mental health outpatient with a delusional disorder has admitted threatening to kill helpline staff for Millbrook Mental Health Unit.

Mansfield magistrates were told how Richard Morris (42), of Bagshaw Street, Pleasley, made several calls to staff between November and December last year.

Robert Carr, prosecuting, said the worker the threats were directed at had felt Morris was capable of carrying them out, so reported them to the police.

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“During one call Mr Morris says he will kill him and the only safe place would be on a plane to India. There were another five-six calls on the same evening.”

Mr Carr said further threats were made to run the psychiatric nurse over and kill him. The court was also told how Morris made numerous threatening calls on another evening.

Said Mr Carr: “The medication for his condition was weakened by alcohol abuse.”

Mary Dixon, defending, said Morris’ mental health problems were made worse by misuse of alcohol.

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She added that the problems with one of Morris’ victims had arisen over a child safeguarding report he had written.

A probation officer told the court the Pleasley man was not suitable for alcohol treatment because he was not willing to engage with workers.

As he passed sentence a magistrate said: “These two people are working for us in the NHS and they are in fear.”

Morris was jailed for 12 weeks suspended for a year with supervision involving ten sessions to address his alcohol issues.

He was given a restraining order in relation to the helpline staff preventing contact with them by any means except to seek treatment.

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