March 26, 2020 2.28 pm This story is over 47 months old

Patient attacked staff at Lincoln mental health unit

He has now been jailed

A patient who attacked a member of staff at the mental health unit in Lincoln County Hospital has been jailed for eight months.

Staff at the Peter Hodgkinson Centre were called to calm Sky McNair, 30, after he threw a two seater sofa against a wall and damaged a picture.

Lincoln Crown Court heard McNair became aggressive and punched a male member of staff twice to the back of his head.

Jeremy Jaines, prosecuting, said the member of staff did not suffer serious injury but was disappointed as he had helped Mr McNair in the past.

The court heard McNair also spat at another male member of staff but it did not land on him.

Mr Jaines told the court McNair was moved to a seclusion room where he again became aggressive after staff refused to turn off a light.

McNair made threats to kill one of the staff which Mr Jaines described as “quite chilling”.

The court heard McNair had a previous conviction for behaviour at the Peter Hodgkinson Centre.

Sunil Khanna, mitigating, said Mr McNair came to the attention of police after he threatened to throw himself off Tower Bridge in London.

McNair was transferred to Lincoln where he was already known to mental health authorities.

Mr Khanna said McNair became upset after he wasn’t given his medication and did not want to be at the Peter Hodgkinson unit after being treated at another location in Lincoln previously.

McNair, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting an emergency worker on September 22 last year.

He also admitted two further offences of criminal damage and threatening behaviour on the same date.

Passing sentence Judge Julie Warburton told McNair that the staff looking after him had a right to be protected.

The judge said: “There is a public interest in protecting emergency workers. The appropriate punishment is custody on this occasion.”