A mentally-sick man who should have been admitted

A mentally-sick man who should have been admitted to St
Bernard’s Psychiatric Hospital on October 16 last year, ended up that
night in intensive care at the New Ealing Hospital having been stabbed
in the chest at a local pub.

‘Not only was this man severely mentally ill, he was drunk,’
said Mr Peter Richardson, prosecuting at Isleworth Crown Court.

In the dock, Jonathan Wright, 20, of Bond St, Ealing, pleads
not guilty to wounding Mr Ralph Pettit, with or without intending to
cause him grievous bodily harm.

It was closing time at the Queen Victoria pub in Ealing and
the two men got into an argument, said counsel.

‘It is quite obvious
that Mr Pettit issued threats of violence but whether or not they
should have been taken seriously is another matter.

Also Mr Pettit
had with him a knife — the knife that in the end he was assaulted
with’.

As customers were ushered out of the pub, Mr Pettit produced
the knife either from his sock or his boot.

‘But because of his
condition he was in no state to wield it effectively and he dropped
it’, said Mr Richardson.

‘Mr Pettit was on the ground not consituting any threat to
anyone and the defendant was on his feet having taken the knife from
him,’continued counsel.

‘The victim then received a serious stab-wound
to the chest which punctured one of his lungs.

He was taken to
hospital where he spent several days in intensive care before
recovering’.

Wright was arrested and questioned the next day when he
recalled the knife and Mr Pettit being on the ground but claimed he
just dropped the knife beside Mr Pettit.

‘There was never any
intention to stab him,’ said counsel.

The trial continues.

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