A care home resident walked into his neighbour’s bedroom and repeatedly hit her with a hammer.
The victim, also a resident at the Paddock-based St Anne’s care home which looks after people with mental health problems, said she hyperventilated and blacked out following the attack on November 15 last year.
Michael Lynch was detained under the Mental Health Act following the incident in Beech Street.
Today (Feb 28) a district judge sitting at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court found the offence of assault proved and adjourned sentencing to allow further medical reports to be obtained.
Prosecutor Bill Astin read a statement from the female victim who explained that all of the residents shared a kitchen and living room although had their own rooms.
She was in her room holding a wreath she wished to put up for Christmas and had asked a member of staff for a hammer and nails.
The victim heard footsteps outside her room and assumed he had come to help her but 45-year-old Lynch walked in.
She said in her statement: “I had the wreath in my hand and heard the door being opened.
“Then I turned around and saw Lynch holding a hammer towards my face.
“He hit me twice in my face and I raised my arm for protection. Then he hit me again with the hammer, making contact with my elbow.
“I blacked out, I didn’t have any strength left but tried to get back up.
“He was facing away from me but must have heard me getting back up and said: ‘I’ll hit you more’.”
A member of staff rushed to the victim’s aid and took the hammer off Lynch who then walked off.
She said she was hyperventilating as the staff member took her into an office, locked the door behind them and called police.
Her injuries included swelling to her face and bruising, the Huddersfield court was told.
She said: “The incident has left me traumatised and scared.”
Deputy District Judge Michael Hopkinson said that he found the case proven in Lynch’s absence.
He adjourned sentencing for four weeks as a further medical report on his mental health is needed before he can decide whether to make a hospital order.
Lynch, of no fixed address, has conditional bail not to go to Beech Street or contact the victim.
