Woman jailed after slashing Leeds A&E staff in 'utterly needless' attack

A woman has been jailed after she slashed Leeds A&E staff with a razor blade during an unprovoked spree of assaults.
Louise Revson. Issued by West Yorkshire Police.Louise Revson. Issued by West Yorkshire Police.
Louise Revson. Issued by West Yorkshire Police.

Louise Revson, 23, wounded St James’s Hospital doctor and porter with the weapon and “lunged” at a nurse who had treated her.

At Leeds Crown Court on Friday, Judge Robin Mairs told her: “This was utterly needless. You attacked the very people who were there to help you.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Prosecutor Stephen Littlewood said that at 6am on July 24 last year an ambulance was sent to Revson’s house after she took an overdose.

Paramedics confiscated a razor blade they found her with, but before she got into the ambulance she went back to the house and re-armed herself, the court heard.

Following treatment in the Gledhow Wing, she inflicted a gash on the right forearm of porter Richard Kelly, which required nine stitches.

Mr Littlewood said she then assaulted another porter, Steven Winstanley.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Nurse Rosie Boult went to the family area near a resuscitation room after learning that Revson was armed.

The nurse thought that Revson has scratched her right arm using her finger nails, but when she looked down saw “what was in fact a Stanley knife,” said Mr Littlewood.

Revson then had a “manic and crazy look” before laughing and walking away, the court heard.

She slashed resuscitation registrar Martyn Kennedy’s forearm arm, causing a 1.5cm gash to his forearm which required six stitches.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“He said she looked him straight in the eyes and smiled at him,” said Mr Littlewood.

Barrister John Boumphrey, mitigating, said Revson had pleaded guilty to the offences. He added that she had come from a troubled background.

Revson had consumed drink and drugs before the assaults and Mr Boumphrey said that the defendant could not remember the incident.

The barrister also said that Revson “has some form of problem with NHS workers”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The court heard that she has eight previous conviction from 14 offences, including one for assaulting another nurse.

Judge Mairs imprisoned Revson, of Old Farm Parade, West Park, for six years and eight months with an extented period of four years.

She had pleaded guilty to two counts of wounding, two counts of common assault and one of making threats with a weapon.

Detective Superintendent Lisa Atkinson, Head of Crime for the Leeds District, said: “Revson launched a completely unprovoked attack using a razor blade and caused serious injuries to two hospital staff.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The incident took place in an accident and emergency department where visitors and staff should be able to have a reasonable expectation of safety.

“The significant prison sentence she has received should send out a very clear message about how seriously offences of this nature will be treated.

“We have a close working relationship with the hospital and will continue to work in partnership to ensure that people like Revson who assault their staff are arrested and brought to justice.”

A spokesman for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said: “This was an extremely serious assault and we are grateful to the judge for recognising the severity of the crime.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“NHS staff work incredibly hard to treat and look after patients and it is completely unacceptable for them to be subject to aggression or violence.

“Even though the numbers of this type of assault in our hospitals are falling year on year we continue to work hard to ensure that our sites are safe and secure for our patients, visitors and staff.”

“An emergency department is a high-pressure environment for patients and staff but we operate a policy of zero tolerance towards any form of assault towards our staff.

“We do not hesitate to involve our security teams or the police and we press for the strongest penalties against offenders, especially where assaults are intentional, as in this case.”

Related topics: