A HOSPITAL nurse was beaten and left bleeding by a patient in a vicious attack, a court has heard.

John Quinn, 58, grabbed Lynn McGaw around the neck and pinned her against a wardrobe before punching her in the face at least five times in front of stunned colleagues at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

Mrs McGaw was left with blood running from her mouth and nose following the shocking assault on December 27, 2014.

Details of the incident emerged at Carlisle Crown Court after Quinn was charged with assaulting Mrs McGaw and exposing himself to another person while at the hospital.

But, after experts concluded he was unfit to either plead to the allegation or stand trial, a fact-finding hearing took place in front of a jury at the court.

Mrs McGaw gave evidence about an incident which was said to have occurred after Quinn was admitted to the hospital for an alcohol detoxification programme.

He was said to have been agitated, vocal and abusive for several hours, and at one stage threw a mattress which hit Mrs McGaw on the back.

She raised concerns with colleagues. It was when she went to change a patient in the bed next to Quinn a short time later that he lunged at her.

“He said ‘I am going to have you’,” Mrs McGaw told the court. “He grabbed me around my neck. I instinc

tively bent forward. He had me against the wardrobe. I couldn’t go anywhere.

“He just started repeatedly punching me in the face. In excess of five times. I could feel blood coming out of my nose and out of my mouth. I could taste the blood.”

Mrs McGaw heard a pregnant colleague, nurse Nichola Mitchinson, “screaming”.

She added: “I just had to protect myself the best I could at this point. I just remember thinking ‘please don’t touch Nichola’ because she was pregnant. ‘Hit me but don’t go for her’.”

Miss Mitchinson told the court she called police after witnessing the attack.

“He had hold of her. She tried to get away from him. He punched her repeatedly,” she said in evidence.

Mrs McGaw’s injuries consisted of a split lip and bloody nose, although there were no fractures. She agreed that the incident had a “lasting effect” upon her.

Jurors were told that Quinn had a history of problems following an accident in 2004. Experts had concluded he was not fit to plead or stand trial due to him having little recollection or memory.

After hearing all the evidence in the case, jurors concluded they were satisfied Quinn had done the acts that were alleged.

The case is due to be disposed of next month.

Three options are likely to be open to the court.

Quinn, of The Stables, Corkickle, Whitehaven, will either be made the subject of a hospital order; given supervision under the Mental Health Act; or given an absolute discharge.