Patient got police officer in headlock at Sunderland Royal Hospital

Andrew Roffe, 34, of Brandling Street, Roker, put her in a tight headlock when he leapt from a chair during treatment, a court heard.

Nursing staff rushed to her aid, but Roffe was only subdued when he was rugby tackled by a paramedic and another officer pinned him down.

The attack, at Sunderland Royal Hospital on Wednesday, December 4, left the PC with reddening to an ear.

She said in a statement she was “fearful for her life”, prosecutor John Garside told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

Roffe had himself earlier been attacked and may have assaulted the officer after coming round from an epileptic fit, his defence said.

But he was also misusing cocaine and drinking alcohol during the period, the Probation Service confirmed.

Mr Garside said: “The offence has taken place while the defendant was in hospital, being triaged by staff.

“He was in a seated position and an officer went to speak to him and asked him to sign something.

“He’s gone from sitting to grabbing the officer in a headlock. She found it difficult to breathe.

“In a statement, she said that she was fearful for her life. Members of staff have intervened.

“A paramedic has come in and rugby tackled the defendant to gain advantage. Another WPC has got involved.

“The defendant resisted and was non-compliant and the second officer fell back onto a bed in the triage room.

“She then lay across his legs to stop him kicking. The first officer had reddening to an ear.”

Roffe pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Angus Westgarth, defending, said: “He’s not so heavily convicted. It clearly is a serious incident.

“The defendant made full admissions at the police station and apologised for his behaviour towards the officer.

“He had been assaulted prior to the officers arriving and had been taken to the hospital for his injuries and he required stitches.

“He has epilepsy and had had a fit and had just come around at the hospital. Fits can make him aggressive.

“The officer speaks of him grabbing her pocket notebook which she had asked him to sign.

“He’s clearly remorseful, and I ask the court to take that into account.”

The Probation Service said Roffe’s drug and alcohol use needed to be assessed before he could be sentenced.

It confirmed he misuses cocaine and drinks booze daily, and had previously been involved with support services but had dropped out.

District Judge Zoe Passfield adjourned the case for an all-options report, meaning Roffe could be jailed when sentenced at the same court on Monday, April 14.

The judge told him: “I know you apologised in interview for what had happened, and you’ve been out of trouble for several years, but this was a serious assault.”