Police, nurse and doctor were assaulted
A WOMAN with a mental illness assaulted three emergency workers and a community psychiatric nurse.
April Morely first turned violent when the psychiatric nurse and a doctor went to her home to carry out a Mental Health Act assessment on April 2 last year.
Morely would not allow them inside, Nottingham Crown Court heard. She said to her sister “she would stab them if they came into the address”.
Earlier that morning the sister had removed a pair of scissors from 39-yearold Morely, of Tulip Avenue, St Ann’s.
The two victims entered the house and attempted to talk to Morely.
But she pulled out a knife and a piece of wood and held them in her hands. She gestured towards them and said “it’s my house”, ordered them to sit down and made stabbing motions with the knife.
The nurse picked up a mirror to protect herself. Morely made stabbing motions towards her and struck the mirror and sliced the tip of the nurse’s index finger.
When police arrived, the doctor attempted to get to the door before the defendant. She punched him twice to the shoulder and to the mouth.
Morely kicked one officer in the groin. Then, after her arrest, she punched one officer in the face through a cell hatch.
She pleaded guilty to assault, causing bodily harm, and three charges of assaulting an emergency worker.
A doctor’s report said Morely has a schizophrenic illness and has been suffering from it for a number of years and had had many relapses.
Judge Stuart Rafferty QC, who sentenced Morely, told her: “April Morely, you have a disturbed and a disturbing history.”
Referring to the first victims, the doctor and nurse, he said: “When they came to see you, you were clearly unwell and your behaviour was a product of your mental illness.”
He also said he had seen reports from two doctors who both agreed “there should be a hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act”.
“I make such a order regarding all the matters before the court concurrently,” added the judge.
“It is appropriate to make a section 41 of the Mental Health Act, which means that you will not be discharged from the order without the consent of the secretary of state or the order of the mental health tribunal.”
Criminal courts can use section 37 if they think a person should be in hospital, instead of prison. Section 41 is a restriction order. The Crown Court can add this order to a section 37 if they think a person is a risk to the public.