Man who pointed fake gun at doctor at Leeds GP surgery is jailed at Leeds Crown Court

Leeds Crown Court heard on Friday (Nov 26) that Darren Bray, 49, had been in prison on remand since April 1 and attempts had been made to transfer him to a psychiatric hospital.

But the court heard the transfer did not happen because no bed had been available.

Judge Geoffrey Jameson QC said he could not even consider imposing a sentence that involved an element of mental health treatment requirement unless arrangements had been made or could be made for treatment.

Judge Jameson said: "It is clear from the psychiatric report that you were at the time significantly affected by mental health difficulties, in particular paranoid schizophrenia.

"You have been remanded in custody from April 1.

"During that time attempts have been made to have you transferred fom prison to a psychiatric hospital with a view to having the position reviewed. That has never happened. No bed has been available."

Judge Jameson said Bray had been assessed as no longer fulfilling the criteria for a hospital order.

Jailing Bray for 21 months, Judge Jameson said the case should involve some form of mental health treatment, adding: "I'm prevented from doing that. This court has no other option available to it."

An earlier hearing at Leeds Crown Court was told that Bray took out the weapon at Laurel Bank Surgery, Headingley, after saying: “You’re all going to see what happens when no-one listens to me.”

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Bray pointed the handgun at his doctor before a stand-off with armed police during the incident on March 30.

Leeds Crown Court heard Bray was armed with an BB gun which had the appearance of a real handgun.

Deborah Smithies, prosecuting, said Bray was a patient at the Kirkstall Lane surgery.

He has a background of anxiety and depression and had suffered from paranoid delusional psychosis.

On March 29 he went to the surgery and asked to see his doctor but was told to come back for 10.40am the next day.

The following morning Bray walked into the reception area looking angry.

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As the doctor appeared, Bray said: “You are all going to see what I can do now. You are all going to see what happens when no one listens to me.”

Bray went to his car and got a gun from the glovebox. The doctor believed it was a genuine firearm. She ushered people inside the building as Bray paced around the car park with the weapon.

Bray walked towards the doctor with the gun pointed at her and said: “Call the police. I want the police here now.”

Ms Smithies said: “She feared the defendant would shoot her.”

Bray then drove to Queenswood Drive and got out of his car. Armed police officers arrived and blocked off the road.

The prosecutor said one officer took up a position behind a parked car. Bray pointed his weapon at him but the officer realised it was a fake and Bray was tasered.

Bray, of Queenswood Drive, Headingley, admitted possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Alex Menary, mitigating, said: “He was very unwell.”

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