Psychiatric patient’s rape threat to carers

Ross made a series of remarks to doctors and nurses

A psychiatric patient at Perth’s Murray Royal Hospital made a series of chilling threats to a doctor and nurses over a threeday period.

On one occasion, Bruce Ross became angry when he was told by staff he was being moved to prison.

He then said to a nurse: “I am a dangerous person and can do bad things to people,” Perth Sheriff Court was told.

He also made the terrifying comments that on his release from prison he was going to find where a Murray Royal doctor lives.

“I will use my car to put her in a cage in the boot, leaving her for a few days - then hurt her in a number of ways.

“I have so much power in my thumb and forefinger I could snap her larynx.

“Following this, I will rape her and make her as anxious as she made me.”

Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney said the remarks were made “in a very calm manner” but because of the nature of the threats, the police were alerted.

On another occasion, the 36-year-old told two nurses that to get out of the secure Faskally Ward at the city hospital he “just needed to kill the staff on duty and take their keys and cards.”

He then threatened to “slash” nursing assistant Lesley Hunter.

Ross, of Old Town Place, Aberdeen, will be sentenced on September 12 after a background report has been prepared. He had his bail continued meantime. He admitted that over the course of the day on October 3, 2017, at the Faskally Ward, he said that he could leave the unit by killing staff and stealing their keys - and then threatened to slash Ms Hunter.

He also claimed he could trace staff working on the ward if he knew their names.

He also pled guilty to a second charge of making the rape threat to the doctor in the Faskally Ward on October 4 and 10.

He was subject to August 15 and 23 bail orders from Aberdeen Sheriff Court at the time.

The depute fiscal explained that at one point on October 3, Ross said he shouldn’t be told the surnames of staff because it would “make it easier to find them on his release.”

Although his remarks were again made “very calmly,” the police were contacted because of their nature.

The rape threats were made against the doctor first on October 4 - and again six days later.

Solicitor David Holmes said that at the time the threats had been made, his client had suffered a head injury and there had also been a change in his medication.

His client was also subject to a Community Payback Order so a report would be needed before he was sentenced.