Isle of Wight man hurts 81 year old with broken neck on hospital ward

Robert Langley, of Aspen Close, Newport, admitted assaulting his victim by beating, on a reckless basis, on June 7.

The victim, 81, was recovering from a broken neck on Colwell ward, when Langley took issue with a comment made by the pensioner about the Vietnam War.

Langley walked up to his bed and hurled a food tray at the victim's head, which struck his face and caused a black eye, said Liz Miller, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court.

The victim, who was completely immobile and unable to defend himself, also has dementia, the bench was told.

Langley, a former NHS employee, gave the police a 'no comment' interview, but investigators were told the victim had a curtain pulled around his bed and two nurses said they saw Langley emerge from behind it.

As he emerged, Langley told one of the nurses: "He's gone too far now."

Ms Miller said: "The aggravating feature of this assault was that the victim was elderly and vulnerable, with a fractured neck, immobile and suffering with dementia when his eye was injured."

In July, the 38-year-old was jailed by an Isle of Wight Crown Court judge for contempt of court.

For Langley, Barry Arnett said his client was in hospital at the time of the incident having suffered a mental breakdown.

"He remembers the gentleman saying something to him about his appearance, then swept the tray towards him, without considering the consequences, for which he apologises," Mr Arnett added.  

"It doesn't excuse what what he did, but he has been struggling with his mental health."

Langley also struggles with substance misuse, which led to him suffering with stomach ulcers, the probation officer told the court.

Jobless Langley was handed a year's probation and must pay his elderly victim £200 in compensation.

Presiding magistrate, Fay Seabourne, told Langley: "It was a nasty assault. The man didn't deserve to get a black eye."