A 44-year-old NHS clinical support worker sustained life-changing injuries after being punched by a patient who claimed he was 'plagued by demons' at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Scotland. The attack occurred on May 15, 2025, while the victim and a female colleague were conducting observations on Robert Muirhead, 43, who was under a medical detention order on the psychiatric ward.
Attack Details and Injuries
Prosecutor Rachel Wallace told Falkirk Sheriff Court that Muirhead approached the women around 1:30pm and asked to discuss mathematics and nuclear warfare. When the victim stated she was not knowledgeable on those subjects, he punched her without warning to the left side of her face, causing her to fall to the ground. He then turned and walked back to his original seated position.
The victim suffered an orbital fracture, muscle damage, and lacerations to her left eye. She required surgical repair of the orbital fracture and received stitches to her left eyebrow, below her left eye, and the top of her nose. Her eye was displaced 2mm towards her skull, leaving it visibly different from the right eye. She also sustained two broken teeth, scarring across her face, paralysis to the left side of her top lip, cheek, and nostril, and partial vision loss.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Muirhead pleaded guilty on Friday to assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement, and permanent impairment. He also admitted to lesser assaults on two other ward staff on May 11 and 13, 2025. Solicitor Paul Cook, defending, stated: 'He suffers from hearing voices in his head, demons as he describes them.'
Sheriff Craig Harris jailed Muirhead for 27 months, ruling that despite his mental state, he knew what he was doing. He also ordered Muirhead to be supervised by social workers for 12 months after his release. Sheriff Harris said: 'The first two assaults caused injury, thankfully relatively minor but still no doubt significant for those who were impacted. The final assault caused severe facial injuries to the complainer. She required surgery. She has been left with her eye displaced and now has a visible difference between her eyes. She has been left with scarring on her face and paralysis. She has lost some vision and now speaks with a lisp.'
