Man tried to take patient's car to escape police

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A MAN attacked a woman and tried to steal her car in a bid to escape from police who had taken him to Warwick Hospital.

Mark Elsworth had been arrested after an allegation he had threatened to kill a neighbour with a knife.

Police took the 45-year-old, of Arden Street, Stratford, to Warwick Hospital because he had been injured in the incident.

He escaped and ran into the car park where he grabbed a woman parking her car and forced her onto the ground, stamping on her hand in a bid to get the keys.

But he was foiled when a member of the public intervened and stopped him and he was recaptured shortly afterwards.

Elsworth was remanded in custody after pleading guilty at Warwick Crown Court to a charge of attempted robbery.

Gary Cook, defending, asked for the case to be adjourned for pre-sentence and psychiatric reports to be prepared on Elsworth, who has been treated for schizophrenia.

And he applied for Elsworth to be granted bail while the reports are prepared.

Mr Cook explained Elsworth has ‘pending surgery’ after his arm and wrist were broken and the arm has mended well, but the wrist has not.

He conceded Elsworth had a conviction for robbery in 1996, for which he was jailed for six years, but said since then he had been ‘a more sociable person’ while taking his medication.

But he stressed for about six months leading up to the incidents in December he had not been taking the medication.

Recorder Michael Elsom adjourned the case for the pre-sentence and psychiatric reports to be prepared, and remanded Elsworth in custody.

Adjourning the bail application to a later date for medical evidence to be put before the court, he told Mr Cook: “If it was the case that there was a definite date for the surgery, you may have the basis for an application.”