A nurse has described a terrifying assault by Jonty Bravery, the mentally ill patient convicted of throwing a six-year-old boy from the tenth floor of the Tate Modern, which left her with blood dripping from her face.
Violent Assault on Caregivers
Linda McKinlay, a grandmother and nurse, was trying to prevent Bravery from throwing himself off a ledge at the high-security Broadmoor hospital in September 2024 when he turned on her. The 24-year-old dug his nails into her cheek and eye during the shocking incident.
Her colleague, Kate Mastalerz, was also attacked, being kicked and scratched by Bravery. Ms Mastalerz suffered a bruised thigh and described the event as a "very stressful situation". Both women were assaulted while simply carrying out their duties.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Bravery was found guilty of two counts of assault in his absence at Westminster Magistrates' Court. On Thursday, 8 January 2026, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring jailed him for 16 weeks, to run concurrently with his existing life sentence.
The court heard compelling evidence, including body-worn video footage showing the struggle. Jessica Hart from the Crown Prosecution Service stated the case relied on this video, the nurses' accounts, and images of injuries. Bravery refused to attend his trial or the sentencing hearing via video link.
Magistrate Goldspring noted the sad reality that "those who care for him in Broadmoor are the targets of these assaults." He also imposed a £350 fine.
A History of Violence and Life-Changing Crime
Jonty Bravery is already serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 15 years for the attempted murder of a French child at the Tate Modern in 2019. He hurled the six-year-old boy from a tenth-floor balcony, resulting in life-changing injuries including a brain bleed and multiple fractures.
This is not his first assault on hospital staff. In 2020, he received a 14-week sentence for attacking Broadmoor workers, including punching and hair-pulling one and biting another.
The judge remarked it is "very unlikely" Bravery will be deemed safe for release after his minimum term "unless something significant changes," citing his significant mental health difficulties.
Ms McKinlay, who required hospital treatment, told the court this was the first attack she had experienced in her long career at Broadmoor, leaving her "very shaken."
