'Probably every nurse's deepest fear' - patient tried to murder nurse with hospital scissors usually stored under lock and key, jurors told
A patient, Romon Hoque, attempted to murder nurse Acheema Cherian at the Royal Oldham Hospital using scissors usually stored under lock and key. Hoque, suffering from drug and alcohol withdrawal, attacked Cherian after she refused to give him methadone immediately. The attack left Cherian with severe injuries, requiring surgery. Hoque denies attempted murder but admits to wounding with intent. The prosecution argues he acted with intent despite his mental state.
Nurse Acheema Cherian was bending over another patient in the Royal Oldham Hospital’s Acute Medical Unit when Romon Hoque drew the hospital scissors he had hidden in his pocket and lunged at her neck and head, Minshull Street Crown Court heard on Monday.
The 10.30 p.m. assault on 11 January left the 57-year-old nurse—an employee of two decades described by colleagues as “addicted to her job”—bleeding from wounds to her neck, scalp and wrist that required emergency surgery. Prosecutor Nicholas Rhodes KC told jurors that moments earlier Hoque, 38, had demanded methadone and been told by Mrs Cherian she would bring it once she finished with her current patient. “The refusal immediately to satisfy his needs acted on the defendant’s mind,” Mr Rhodes said. “Over the next five minutes he stewed on her refusal, allowing his temper to rise to the point that he decided to punish her, intending she should pay for this affront with her life.”
Hoque, admitted for drug- and alcohol-withdrawal complications and under one-to-one observation, had earlier muttered, “These people want to kill me,” the court was told. Somehow he obtained the sharp, pointed hospital scissors normally kept in a locked storeroom, secreted them on his person and waited until Mrs Cherian was alone. Care support worker Aman Jemal, who had escorted Hoque outside for cigarettes twice that evening, grabbed the attacker in a bear-hug after seeing the first downward stab, preventing further strikes police say were aimed at vital areas. Hoque has pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possessing a bladed article but denies attempted murder; the trial continues.
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