Man attacks hospital staff with weapon after being denied appointment

Police allege a man attacked hospital staff with a gun after being refused an appointment.

Merseyside Police said officers were called to Newton Community Hospital in Newton-Le-Willows just after 12pm on Tuesday following a report that a man had attacked several people with a weapon that may have been a crowbar.

Police said the man was believed to have become “increasingly agitated” after his request for a hospital appointment was rejected and he was asked to leave.

Newton-le-Willows ward Councilor Seve Gomez-Aspron said his father, who lives next door to the hospital, heard someone had attacked staff at Newton Community Hospital and damaged the reception area.

Mr Gomez-Aspron said: “At around 12.10pm I received a call from my father, who lives next to the hospital, and said he had run over to a family friend’s house to say someone had attacked staff inside the hospital and damaged the reception area.

“I live nearby so I told him to call the police and I immediately went to the hospital and got there within minutes.

“From receipt of the call until arrival, a major emergency response was undertaken to deal with the incident.

“I can only thank Merseyside Police and the North West Ambulance Service for such a quick and effective response when we were faced with a scenario where the danger was unknown.

“This is a shock, but as always we need to wait for all the facts without speculating.”

A 20-year-old man, originally from Afghanistan, was arrested on suspicion of five Section 18 counts of wounding, affray and criminal damage.

Police said that the injuries in the attack were not life-threatening and that the injured were treated at the hospital by paramedics.

Inspector Sarah Rotherham said: “We were called to reports of a man behaving aggressively in hospital and attacking several people.”

He said officers immediately responded and a male was “quickly located and arrested.”

“The medical teams who came to the hospital gave first aid to the injured,” he said.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact Merseyside Police or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.