Violent Rampton patient faces jail for assaulting nurse

Martin Frederick Jones, 30, admitted common assault through his solicitor, Andrew Bevan, at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Ruth Snodin, prosecuting, said: “He was in a video-link on March 4 appearing before the court on other matters.

“There was a break in proceedings and he became agitated.

“Without warning he lunged at the nurse. The defendant is a big man and he forced the nurse backwards so he hit his head on a table and he lost consciousness.

“The defendant continued punching him. Other nurses intervened.

“He said he became frustrated and agitated. He didn’t accept that he punched the nurse.

“He has a history of violent offending and has two convictions for commons assault from March this year.”

Andrew Bevan, mitigating, said Jones was in the hospital for an unlimited period which could only be amended by the crown court.

He said his psychiatrist had written to the court saying Jones had received a number of financial penalties over the years which had not been effective.

He said he would be happy for him to go to prison.

“He would be moved to a prison and then assessed to see if he is at risk,” said Mr Bevan. “The financial penalties are having no effect.

“He continues to assault the staff at Rampton.”

He added that the nurse’s injuries were fortunately ‘not too bad, which is quite surprising in the circumstances.’

Mr Bevan drew a parallel between a paramedic being assaulted on duty and the nurse at Rampton.

Magistrates felt the offence crossed the custody threshold and adjourned the case for Jones to be produced for sentencing on August 24.