A STYAL prisoner attacked and injured an emergency worker whilst being treated at a hospital.

Laura Evans, 29, admitted assaulting a female member of ward staff in the psychiatric unit at Clatterbridge Hospital when she appeared on a video link at Knowsley and St Helens Magistrates Court on June 16.

The incident happened on February 18, this year, the court heard.

Evans also admitted using threatening, abusive and insulting words towards other members of hospital staff, on the same day.

Evans caused fear, the court heard, as staff they ‘believed that immediate unlawful violence would be used against them’.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to causing under £5,000 worth of damage to a vehicle at the hospital at the same time.

Magistrates said the offence ‘was so serious’ they imposed a concurrent 16-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months for the assault and criminal damage.

The defendant’s ‘offending history’ and the ‘effect on victims, including injuries caused’ were among reasons given for a custodial sentence.

Magistrates said ‘offending against hospital staff attempting to care for the defendant and others and disruption to hospital’ meant Evans had to be seriously penalised.

The bench did not impose a separate penalty for Evans’ threatening behaviour and took her guilty plea into account when imposing this sentence.

Magistrates ordered Evans to pay £297 compensation and gave her until July 14 to start paying the court penalty at a rate of £20 per month.