Nurses hurt as patients ran amok (From York Press)

Nurses at Stockton Hall psychiatric hospital hurt as patients ran amok

9:20am Tuesday 11th September 2012 in News By Megi Rychlikova, megi.rychlikova@thepress.co.uk

STAFF at a psychiatric hospital near York were beaten and left traumatised in a pre-planned attack by patients.

Patients at Stockton Hall psychiatric hospital beat up staff so badly they left four employees traumatised, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Jessica Strange, prosecuting, said a nurse on Fenton Ward got a telephone warning on November 5 from a relative of Glen Stephen Ryan, one of the patients involved, that “there was going to be a kick-off in the ward at 8pm.”

The violence that exploded at 8pm, as medicine was being handed out, was so bad the four staff on the ward were unable to contain it without help from staff from other wards.

Three members of staff suffered cuts and bruises, and other minor injuries. Some were unable to work for some time afterwards. One told police they were scared to return to work.

Ryan, 26, a robber with many other convictions, was later moved to top-secure Rampton Hospital. The rest of the patients are still at Stockton Hall.

Recorder Tom Bayliss said it was a “very, very serious affray”.

He sectioned Robert Thomas Beal, 22, under the Mental Health Act with a restriction that he could only be released if the Justice Secretary believed him to be no longer a danger to the public.

Beal admitted affray, two assaults on hospital staff and threats to kill a civilian.

Miss Strange said that in August, Beal wrote to the stepfather of his ex-girlfriend claiming that he would shortly be released and threatened “to harm you in ways you cannot imagine” and to cut his head off.

Psychiatrist Caroline Bradley told the court Beal had told her repeatedly he would burn someone’s house down among other threats, and that he suffered from a dissocial personality disorder with paranoia and other mental problems.

Christian Michael Grant, 22, and Ryan also both admitted affray and two charges of assault and will be sentenced later after psychiatric reports are prepared.

A fourth defendant, Michael Garratt, 43, who admitted affray and two charges of assault, and who is serving a life sentence for other matters, was given a conditional discharge.

He is already subject to an Mental Health Act order forbidding the hospital to release him without the consent of the Justice Secretary.