Copyright walesonline
A mental health patient attacked a fellow hospital resident leaving him unconscious in a pool of blood with two ligatures wrapped tightly around his neck, a court heard. 23-year-old Aeron Gingell carried out the attack in a toilets in St Cadoc's Hospital, a mental health facility in Caerleon, in January this year. Prosecutor Byron Broadstock told Cardiff Crown Court that back in February 2022 Gingell was detained at the hospital after being caught in possession of knives. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here . During a sentencing hearing at the same court on Friday, October 31, Mr Broadstock detailed how on January 21 this year a hospital resident was found unconscious on the floor of a bathroom at the facility with blood around his head and two ligatures around his neck. An ambulance attended and the victim was taken to the University Hospital of Wales for treatment. In the bathroom there was a pool of blood on the floor, along the wall, and along the victim's side. The ligatures around the victim's neck were believed to be shoes laces. The court heard the unconscious victim's face had turned blue after the assault and there was blood coming from above one of his eyes. Staff initially thought it was a suicide attempt but after becoming suspicious of Gingell they monitored him. Later, while speaking to staff Gingell said: "He's fallen over hasn't he." He later said: "I have killed him. There are voices in my head telling me I have killed him." Defence barrister Caroline Rees KC told the court about Gingell's complicated mental health background. Dr Inti Qurashi, Gingell's forensic psychiatrist and treating clinician, identified how Gingell has been diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder which he's currently being treated for at Ashworth Hospital, a high-security psychiatric hospital near Liverpool. Dr Inti Qurashi said Gingell also experiences somatic hallucinations, which he described as some of the worst he has ever seen in his 25-year career. He said this mental illness had played a "large part" in the offence as he had incorporated the victim into his alternative reality where he thought the victim was sexually molesting him. Dr Qurashi did say that Gingell has "substantially improved" and would continue to be treated. Sentencing Gingell for grievous bodily harm, Judge Tracy Lloyd-Clarke made orders under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act 1981. She added: "I'm satisfied that you're suffering with a mental health disorder and you will be detained in hospital for medical treatment." Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice .
