A man who assaulted QMC nurses in three separate incidents has been jailed.
Scott Adams, 50, carried out three terrifying attacks on members of staff at the hospital over the course of a few days.
Adams pleaded guilty to assault by beating an emergency worker and harassment when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, February 8.
The first incident happened on October 9, 2020, on ward C53 where he was staying as an in-patient.
At approximately 1.30pm, a healthcare assistant was treating another patient when she was struck by Adams, who thrust his right fist towards her, the court was told.
He was later restrained by security.
However, a few days later on October 12, a deputy sister who was working on the same ward was again attacked by Adams - who got out of his bed and was wandering around, Nottingham Crown Court heard.
On this occasion, when he was asked to return to his bed, staff were abused and he then grabbed the lanyard of the sister and pulled downwards.
After leaving his bed on another occasion, he then grabbed the forearm of the same sister - not letting go until security once again restrained him.
Two days later, a healthcare assistant who was tasked with watching Adams after the previous incidents in case he again became violent.
After telling her he wanted to leave, he was again told this would not be possible until he was discharged by a doctor.
"She noticed he had something in his hand and realised it was a knife," the court was told.
"He was using it in a stabbing motion towards her neck. She screamed 'He's got a knife, help!'
"Several staff members then wrestled him to the ground, recovering the knife - which was one given to patients to use to eat their food."
The knife was for this reason quite blunt, the court heard, and so no injuries were sustained.
The staff involved said in victim impact statements read out to court that the incidents had seriously effected them in their work going forward.
"I couldn't deal with the stress," one said.
"I was off work for five weeks."
Another recalled she had a mental breakdown after being attacked by another patient, bringing back memories of her encounter with Adams.
Ms Wilson, mitigating, said that Adams had no recollection of any of the incidents which were out of character for him and came at a time when he was suffering from alcohol withdrawal.
"This is not a man who is usually violent," she said.
"It was somebody who was going through alcohol withdrawal."
Sentencing Adams, of Willn Close, Coalville, Judge Godsmark QC said: "You assaulted nursing staff while they were at work and on their wards.
"Their jobs were to be there for you and to care for you."
He added: "In October 2020, staff were under enough pressure as it was, the last thing they needed was to be worried about you."
Adams was sentenced to 40 weeks imprisonment in total, as well as ordered to pay a victim surcharge. He is eligible for release once he has served half of his sentence.
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