Smoker jailed after Ysbyty Gwynedd assault on police and nurse

Kevin Humphrey Jones, 33, had a number of previous convictions, the court was told

A man has been jailed for 20 weeks after attacking four police officers and a nurse because he was told to stop smoking on hospital grounds.

Kevin Humphrey Jones, of Llangefni, Anglesey, was taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor after becoming "woozy" in police custody.

Caernarfon Magistrates' Court heard the 33-year-old had initially been arrested for shoplifting.

On Thursday, Jones pleaded guilty to eight charges.

Magistrates were told that on 17 July Jones was caught stealing "a number of items" from Debenhams in Bangor.

Bangor's Debenhams store is just over a 150 yards from the town's police station

Following his arrest, he told officers: "I'll knock you both out. I'll wait until there's no cameras and then I'll have you both."

However, once in the cells, officers became concerned about him and he was taken to hospital.

It was later discovered he had taken a powerful sedative prior to his arrest.

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Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor is run by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

The court heard that after being told not to smoke on hospital premises he "repeatedly threatened, kicked and spat" at two police officers who tried to restrain him, as well as kicking two other officers who became involved.

The 21-year-old student nurse who tried to help by holding his legs was also kicked several times.

Magistrates heard that Jones, who has a number of previous convictions, had been recalled to prison for breaching his licence at the time.

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Defending solicitor Glyn Roberts said the assaults happened as "an unforeseen circumstance" of the drugs his client had taken.

Jones pleaded guilty to theft, four counts of assault on police, two counts of threatening and abusive behaviour, one of common assault and one of causing £65 of criminal damage to a police cell.

All health boards in Wales do not allow smoking on hospital grounds.

However, the ban has been described as "voluntary" as it is not covered by the law on smoking in public places.

A consultation to make lighting up in hospital grounds a criminal offence was launched in May.