Source: dailymailonline.co.uk

The killer serving life for murdering teenager Sophie Lancaster has been jailed for a further four months after he punched a nurse in a secure psychiatric unit.

Brendan Harris, 21, threatened to kill one member of staff after he became angry over a fellow inmate being restrained. He also punched another in the face leaving him with a broken nose.

Preston Crown Court was told the assault on nurse David Timson occurred on January 10 after Harris was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and transferred from a young offender institution to the Guild Lodge, Whittingham, Lancashire.

Harris was given a further four months on top of his life sentence after he was convicted of wounding.

As posted before, Sophie was killed for dressing in her own unique way, daring to look ‘different.’ She tried to protect her then boyfriend Robert Maltby, as they walked through Stubbylee Park in Bacup, Lancashire. Although Robert survived, he has suffered lasting injuries and has virtually no memory of the attack.

Sophie never regained consciousness and died 13 days later.

Today Harris appeared by video link and showed no emotion as Judge Cornwall sentenced him for wounding the nurse.

Judge Cornwall said: ‘Another patient behaved badly and had to be restrained and put in the seclusion room immediately adjacent to your room. because the staff did not like the patients gathering round when someone has to be restrained you were asked not to approach your room.

‘Although you complied with it when a member of staff came to speak you rebuked him for the way he looked at you and started to verbally abuse him and make repeated threats to kill him. You were left on your own to calm down.

‘Matters went from bad to worse and other members of staff become involved to try and persuade you to move from where you were standing. There was no alternative but to physically restrain you as a last resort and with great reluctance.

‘Staff continue to try and persuade you to do what they wanted you to do, to withdraw threats made, but without success. for a good half hour staff members were exclusively involved in trying to persuade you to cooperate.

‘It was utterly clear you had not the slightest intention of cooperating. Staff were prevented of making their quarter hourly checks on other patients to ensure their wellbeing.

‘They exhausted every possibility and an arrowhead formation was formed. David Timson approached you with raised hands in a gesture made to reassure you. You knew what was going to happen, you had given your understanding to this handling.

‘They behaved entirely properly and in accordance with methods but all to no avail. David Timson advanced and you struck a single blow, a very substantial blow that fractured his nose. It was a painful and unpleasant injury but could not be said to be serious in the context of a really serious injury.”

‘The violence used against David Timson was unlawful violence and the court has a clear public duty as well as to other patients who may think that they have little to lose by behaving badly.

‘Staff who care for you are often at some risk themselves of being attacked. It is important for you to understand they exercise the very greatest patience and restraint and are wholly conscious of difficulties you suffer from but you cannot be permitted to use unlawful violence against them and expect that to have no consequences.”

For information on the Sophie Lancaster Foundation, visit the official Facebook page here and the official website here.

REST IN PEACE SOPHIE

STAMP OUT PREJUDICE, HATRED AND INTOLERANCE EVERYWHERE

Since Sophie‘s death, her mother Sylvia has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of prejudice against subcultures through campaigning and charity work with The Sophie Lancaster Foundation.