A woman who turned up at a York primary school intent on stabbing children has been given a hospital order under the Mental Health Act.
Laura Rush, 29, a paranoid schizophrenic, was outside Lakeside Primary School with two knives when she called police out, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Brooke Morrison said that Rush – who had been warned a day earlier not to go near the school – was found with a kitchen knife and a craft knife when police turned up at about 1pm on 15 April last year.
“She asked officers not to take (the knives) from her as she needed them,” added Ms Morrison.
She was arrested and taken to hospital for a mental-health assessment, but proceeded to smash a smash window in her room.
“She said she had attended the school in order to stab the children,” said Ms Morrison.
Police searched Rush’s home in York and found a diary with notes including, ‘Hurt yourself and harm others’.
Rush was charged with carrying a blade and admitted the offence. She appeared for sentence via video link today (Thursday, May 5).
Ms Morrison said that Rush – who is currently residing at Stockton Hall hospital in York, a highly specialised, medium-secure unit for patients with serious mental-health problems – was not actually on the school premises. She had no previous convictions.
Paranoid schizophrenic
A forensic psychiatrist – Rush’s treating clinician at Stockton Hall – said she was a paranoid schizophrenic with an unstable personality disorder.
He said that Rush had stated her intention to escape from the hospital and had attempted to breach security on more than one occasion.
[adrotate group=”3″]
He added that there was still a bed available for Rush at the hospital where she could continue to receive treatment.
Chloe Fairley, for Rush, was spared the need for mitigation when judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, said he agreed with the defendant’s clinical psychiatrist that a hospital and restriction order was needed for the protection of the public because Rush posed a “significant” danger to others.
Mr Morris said: “The defendant is a very ill woman. She attended a school with the intention of stabbing children.”
[tptn_list limit=3 daily=1 hour_range=1]
He said that because Rush posed a “significant” danger to the public, the only suitable sentence was a hospital and restriction order under the Mental Health Act.
He added: “I’ve noted in the (doctor’s) report that that the defendant has stated an intention to escape (from the hospital) and attempted to breach security more than once. I therefore take the view that she poses a risk to the public if at large.”