Nurse stabbed in face in horror attack by patient ‘I felt fear’ | UK | News

A mental health nurse was left traumatized and injured after being stabbed by a schizophrenic patient in a psychiatric care unit.

Alexander Horton, 34, was admitted to the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend for treatment just three days before he launched an unprovoked attack on the nurse at around 11.55pm on October 30, 2024.

The incident occurred while the nurse was doing routine night checks. Cardiff Crown Court heard Horton emerged from his room and calmly called for help.

However, when he approached her, he put it around her neck and started attacking her face with a sharp pencil.

The nurse felt the pen pierce his left eyebrow and noticed his face was covered in blood. The attack lasted around eight seconds before other staff intervened to restrain Horton and the nurse was immediately taken to A&E, according to Wales Online.

There were two cuts on his left eyebrow and one on the side. A broken pen with a wet tip was later found at the scene.

Following his arrest, Horton requested valium, stating that he felt like “the world was ending” and that he was “trapped.” He admitted that he missed taking his medication that day, which caused something inside him to “break”.

He expressed regret for his actions, admitting he felt “horrible” afterwards.

Horton, of Llanarth Road, Llanarth, Monmouthshire, later admitted offenses of intentional strangulation and section 18 wounding. The court heard he had no previous convictions.

The victim’s personal statement read in court detailed the nurse’s trauma: “Every time I entered the ward I felt fear, I didn’t know if he was going to attack me again or plan another attack against me.

“Since the attack, I have become much more aware of my surroundings, especially around male patients, in case I am attacked again. This has left me with two scars, one on my eyebrow and the other on my temple. The cuts are healing but I am conscious that the scars are still there.

“People ask me about the scars, and I have to explain what happened, I relive the incident and I feel sad. The incident has now become a part of my life that I tried to forget. Luckily, the pen did not pierce my eyeball. My vision returned, but it shook me.”

Defense counsel told the court that Horton had behaved appropriately while receiving psychiatric treatment, and that there was no indication he posed a violent threat before the attack. Sentencing him, Judge Paul Hobson said: “(The victim) was just someone doing his job, trying to look after you and help you. What you did and the injury you caused had a profound effect on him.”

Horton was made subject to a hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act.