Teen psychiatric patient jailed for hospital assaults
A PSYCHIATRIC patient has been jailed for assaulting 11 staff members over a five-month period in hospital.
Jada Francis attacked and injured the hospital staff while she was sectioned under the Mental Health Act at Heatherwood Court Hospital on Llantrisant Road, Pontypridd.
The 19-year-old, who was 18 at the time of the offences, assaulted staff by punching, kicking, elbowing and biting them while they were attempting to restrain her on the ward.
Six of the assaults happened on a single occasion in August 2019, a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard on Monday.
Prosecutor Ieuan Bennett told the court Francis was admitted as an inpatient at Heatherwood Court in July 2019. He said during her time at the psychiatric facility Francis assaulted 11 members of staff on six different occasions between August 23, 2019, and January 10, 2020. One staff member was assaulted twice.
“She was described as a ‘massive fighter’ by one nurse,” he said.
“She engaged in behaviour that attracted staff attention and was considered a risk to herself and to staff who were tasked with controlling her.
“Occasionally she was encouraged to misbehave by another adult inmate. In general terms the assaults tended to occur when staff felt the need to restrain the defendant in order to protect her.”
Mr Bennett said the first serious incident occurred in the early hours of August 23, 2019, and involved six separate assaults on staff.
Another patient had been misbehaving, and Francis got involved after trying to take keys to the unit which were kept in an office. Mr Bennett said Francis began to behave aggressively towards staff and was restrained by being taken to the ground.
Mr Bennett said Francis punched staff, stuck her “elbows out at them” resulting in marks and bruising to a female staff member’s body, arms and legs.
Later on the same morning, Francis was seen banging her head against a wall. When one staff member came to assist her Mr Bennett said Francis “grabbed
hold of her by the hair and refused to let her go”.
Mr Bennett said three male staff came to assist two female members of staff who were losing control of the defendant. Francis “kicked out” against the male employees, landing a kick in the ribs of one and threatening to punch another.
Later the same morning the defendant threw a large plastic bottle and other items at another worker. Mr Bennett said Francis shouted abusive language at the staff member and started throwing punches at him. She had to be restrained again.
The police were eventually called at 5.30am and Francis was taken to Merthyr Tydfil police station where she made admissions to what had happened. She was bailed and returned to Heatherwood Court.
Mr Bennett told the court further incidents occurred at the hospital on September 23, September 29, October 12, October 26, and January 10, which also resulted in members of staff being injured by Francis.
Francis had pleaded guilty to 12 charges of assault on an emergency worker at an earlier hearing.
Peter Donnison, defending, said his client deserved full credit for her early guilty pleas and that six of the offences occurred during one day.
He argued Francis should have a reduction in sentence considering her age and her mental ill-health at the time.
Mr Donnison said reports showed the defendant had a “troubled upbringing” which had a significant impact on her. “Such reports make reference to emotionally unstable personality disorder and there was some debate among the experts about whether there was posttraumatic stress disorder,” he said.
Mr Donnison said the reports considered his client a high risk of harm in a hospital setting, but a medium risk in the community. He also said Francis had “responded very well” to being in custody since October, and her behaviour had improved.
Judge Michael Fitton QC sentenced the defendant to a total of 28 weeks in prison. Taking into account time already served, he told Francis she would be released in January. She will spend a minimum of 12 months on licence.