A man has been charged with attempted murder after a male member of staff at a hospital in Brighton was stabbed “several times”.
Connolly Mellon, 30, from Brighton, will appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court today in connection with the incident at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Sussex Police said.
He was arrested shortly after the 56-year-old hospital worker was attacked on Sunday morning.
The hospital was put in lockdown following the incident on Sunday and searches by armed police of the premises concluded in the early afternoon.
The victim was treated for several stab wounds and was later discharged from hospital.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: “My thoughts go out to the staff member at the Royal Sussex County Hospital who was injured this morning.
“I will not accept violence against NHS staff – we will bring the full force of the law to bear on anyone who attacks public servants in their line of duty.”
Unison union central Sussex hospitals branch secretary Mark Sargent said: “Our thoughts are with our injured colleague and his family.
“NHS workers who’ve been keeping people safe during the pandemic shouldn’t have to face violence when they’re doing their jobs. Security staff and police deserve huge credit for their timely and decisive action.”
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Police said on Sunday that the hospital was “quickly secured” following the attack.
They added that the “apparently isolated and unexplained incident” is not being treated as a terror attack.