Michael Sefton who damaged Worcestershire Royal Hospital cubicle narrowly avoids jail

Michael Sefton had seen his case adjourned twice before but on his third appearance for the case on Tuesday, (August 16), magistrates finally gave him a suspended jail sentence.

The 59-year-old, of no fixed address and formerly of Little Priest Lane, Pershore, had previously pleaded guilty to charges of criminal damage, racially aggravated common assault/beating, racially aggravated intentional harassment/alarm/distress and public nuisance -indecent exposure. 

AVOIDS JAIL: Michael Sefton has avoided jail. Picture: West Mercia Police (Image: West Mercia Police)

Sumreen Asfar, prosecuting at Worcester Magistrates Court, said in admitting the offences - that all happened on May 1 this year - he was in a breach of a conditional discharge for possession of a knife - and had admitted that breach. 

Miss Asfar said Sefton was taken to the hospital and, after being treated by staff, had thrown a cup of urine, racially abused and made comments of a sexual nature to a nurse, racially abused and assaulted a security guard called by nurses to assist, and also masturbated in an NHS cubicle.

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She explained the racist assault had taken place when Sefton ate cookies and drank water, spitting it all at the security guard who managed to dodge out the way.

Miss Asfar added all this had taken place in a public place, the hospital's A&E, while staff were trying to work and in front of members of the public.

AVOIDS JAIL: Michael Sefton appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court (Image: Newsquest)

The probation service had not completed a report on Sefton but magistrates were told the offences took place after Sefton had tried to overdose on drugs.

Amarjit Singhara, defending Sefton, said: "He had never behaved before in that manner - he is not someone who racially abuses staff and members of the public.

"He knows the (hospital) staff very well, he gets on well with them."

Michael Sefton was previously in court for being a persistent nuisance 999 caller

Kevin Lloyd Wright, chairman of the magistrates bench, said three of Sefton's offences were serious enough for him to be jailed.

"It was in a public sector workplace," the chairman said.

"The staff (racially abused) simply could not walk away."

Sefton was jailed for nine weeks, but the chairman said they were suspending the sentence for a year. 

He was also told to pay a total of £100 compensation to the victims, and an £128 victim surcharge.

Sefton has previously appeared in the Worcester News for making time-wasting calls to the emergency services, and making a public nuisance by keeping neighbours awake with loud music.