A MENTAL health patient from Salisbury was spared jail after launching a terrifying attack on a pregnant carer, putting her in fear for her baby’s life.

Jane Larkin said she was left with a broken rib, head injuries and a badly bruised back following the attack by Jamie Hall.

His violent actions on April 27 were punished with two-year-long community order after he admitted assault and criminal damage at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Mrs Larkin, a former carer at Holmhurst Residential Care Home, said: “All I could think about was my unborn baby’s safety, I did not think about myself.

“I was scared to leave the house. I got my family to take my children to school. I kept reliving that nightmare over and over again in my sleep.

“I have moved to another care home but I am still nervous. I am worried it will happen again.”

Prosecutor Pauline Lambert said that at around 5pm on April 27, Hall became angry at Mrs Larkin when she refused to let him buy some food with his allowance.

The 34-year-old then launched into a foul-mouthed tirade and refused to leave the room.

Hall, who has been at the care home in Downton Road for two years, then trashed the room, knocking items off of a medical cabinet, smashing a phone and flipping over a chair and the desk.

He was forced from the room after he violently poked Mrs Larkin in the eye, causing substantial bruising.

In fear for her safety, Mrs Larkin locked the door but an enraged Hall managed to break it down before he jumped on top of the carer, forcing her to fall back hard onto the desk.

Hall, who initially said he could not recall what happened that day, then punched her in the right eye and slapped her in the face before he was eventually pulled off of her by staff.

Nick Redhead, defending, said Hall had a very long history of mental illness, that staff knew the challenges he presented and that he was very remorseful.

Magistrate Michael New said: “We do not like why you are here. We do not like what you did, it was horrible. If you had done that in society, you would have gone to jail.

“It must not happen again. That poor young lady had to go through an awful lot because of you.”

On top of the community order, Hall was told to complete 20 days of rehabilitation, to pay Mrs Larkin £300 in compensation, £100 to the care home for the damage he caused and £85 in court costs.