Former patient guilty of attempting to kill nurse in Black Country hospital
A man has been found guilty of the attempted murder of a nurse who was saved by psychiatric unit colleagues.
Kieffer Sutton attacked Kazeema Asfal during an incident at the Heath Lane Hospital in Health Lane, West Bromwich, on July 2 last year.
The jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that the 24-year-old attacked the nurse while staying on its McArthur unit because he had been angry about noise made by her personal alarm.
Mrs Asfal and a male nurse were assigned to closely watch Sutton, who has Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and was described has being emotionally immature and having self-harming issues.
Sutton repeatedly made unpleasant remarks including "he could not wait for what was going to happen" and scared off another female nurse, telling her "I am going to smash your face if you come in", before running up to the nurse and putting a cord over her hijab.
Despite his condition Sutton knew exactly what he was doing and the consequences when he tried to strangle Mrs Asfal. The nurse had been monitoring him when the incident happened.
Mr Stephan Koldowski prosecuting barrister said despite his condition Sutton knew exactly what he was doing and the consequences when he tried to strangle Mrs Asfal.
Sutton had to be escorted most of the time due to his risk of self-harm and habit of damaging rooms or striking out at others. As a transgender male, female nurses monitored him while using the bathroom and changing clothes.
Sutton, of Tickford Street in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, who had admitted strangling the victim will be sentenced in March.
