A wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy sufferer who tackled a nurse and chased another patient around the room in his chair was sentenced in Whanganui District Court on Tuesday.
Daniel Carswell, 38, has been in a wheelchair his whole life, but his condition recently deteriorated, defence lawyer Stephanie Burlace said. His speech was also impaired, making communication difficult and, at times, frustrating.
On June 6, Carswell "became angry and agitated at another patient" in the Laura Fergusson Rehabilitation Centre in Liverpool St, police prosecutor Sergeant Drew Morrison said.
"While in the wheelchair, the defendant chased the patient around the lounge area in an attempt to catch him."
A nurse stood in the way to stop Carswell but he "lunged forward out of his wheelchair, bear-hugged the victim and fell on to the floor while holding her".
The victim "narrowly missed" hitting the corner of a table in the fall, he said, and had a sore elbow and upper arm as a result, for which she required a week of physiotherapy.
"The defendant then crawled away from the victim and climbed into another wheelchair, continuing to chase the patient."
Carswell pleaded guilty to common assault.
Ms Burlace said Carswell had written a letter of apology.
"He tells me his own mental health is fine," she said.
"He's living in a care centre with other patients that perhaps don't have the mental capacity that he has. Difficulties can arise because of the limitations of some of those patients."
Since the offending, Carswell had entered counselling.
"That's also addressing dealing better with communication," Ms Burlace said.
Judge Gregory Ellis said he understood that Carswell's life could be "very frustrating" at times. "I respect the fact that you have come to court to take responsibility for your behaviour. I also acknowledge that you have more serious challenges in your life than most of us ever have to put up with."
However, he said, it was "not right" that Carswell should take that frustration out on others.
Judge Ellis ordered Carswell to come up if called upon within six months and pay $75 reparation to the victim to cover her ACC fee.