Brian Clifton is the monster under the bed - I was taking his bloods then he stabbed me twice

A Bradford man stabbed a healthcare worker in the back after a routine appointment.

Brian Clifton, 63, of Barkerend Road, had gone to his appointment at the New Otley Road Health Centre on March 31 last year to have his bloods taken. Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday that the healthcare assistant he saw had routinely seen Clifton for mental health reviews and other appointments.

Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed said: "She took his bloods with consent. When he asked her how long it would take for the results she stated it would take around two to four days. The appointment ended and he started to walk to the door and she turned to her desk. She presumed he was leaving the room but then felt two painful, sharp blows to her upper back area.

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"She turned around and saw him with a knife in his hand." The court heard the woman fled the room and sought sanctuary to a nearby doctor's office. He administered first aid and raised the alarm to other members of staff who were able to lock Clifton in the room. He was then arrested.

Mr Ahmed said the woman was taken to hospital and although it was initially thought the wounds were superficial, she later contracted an infection and had to be treated with antibiotics. Mr Ahmed said officers attended the scene and discovered the knife secreted in a couch in the room where Clifton had attended for his appointment.

He aid: "What he said in his interview was very limited. He said: 'I did it. I might have met her before.'" He went on to plead guilty to wounding with intent.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she had held the role of healthcare assistant for over a decade. The mum-of-four described the job as a "passion" and said: "As a child I would be scared of the monsters under my bed and after turning the lights off would run from the monster that wasn't real. As an adult I now feel that the monster that was in my head is Brian Clifton and is real and made the choice to hurt my unprovoked."

The woman said she struggles to sleep and suffers nightmares. She added: "The psychological damage is lifelong. I no longer enjoy being alone as my thought process disturbs my quality of living... My mental health has taken a rapid decline. This has affected my confidence.

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"I have become cautious of everything... I am fearful of going to work and carry a panic alarm with me... My life has changed rapidly over the last few months. The trauma doesn't have an end date and neither does healing."

The court head Clifton had cooperated with police and medical staff involved in the proceedings. It was said he lives with a schizo-affective disorder. Mitigating, John Bottomley told the court: "It has taken over a year to get to the point he is at today and I know that has been heavy on him. I read part of the victim impact statement to him and he showed apparent remorse and hopes she can recover and feels a great deal of remorse for what he has done to her."

Recorder Hawks detained Clifton under section 37 of the Mental Health Act and said he will be subject to a restriction order under section 41 of the same act for an unlimited amount of time. He said: "It means your release from hospital can't take place without express permission."