Homeless man jailed for 15 months for assault on Mount Carmel nurse

A 21-year-old homeless British man has been jailed after a court was shown CCTV of him punching a female nurse in the head at Mount Carmel Hospital.

Anthony James Jenkins was arraigned before a court this morning, charged with causing slight injuries to a nurse on 26 August inside Mount Carmel Hospital where he was an outpatient, after having thrown a punch at her.

Apparently unsatisfied with having knocked the woman to the ground, her assailant then tried to continue the attack, climbing on top of her. Luckily, two patients pulled the man away before he could cause further harm.

The court was told the man was homeless and would check in and out of Mount Carmel on a voluntary basis, as he did for the past year.

The court assigned legal aid lawyer Fransina Abela to defend the man, despite his protestations that he didn't want a lawyer.

Police Inspector Roderick Spiteri told the court that Jenkins had expressed remorse for his actions.

Jenkins pleaded guilty.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia handed the man a 15-month prison sentence and ordered that the Mount Carmel management be consulted by the prison authorities on the decision as to where he should serve his sentence.