A patient who kicked and punched at a hospital has been jailed.

Rebecca Colman, of Station Road, Edenbridge, was arrested after she became verbally and physically abusive to staff at Tunbridge Wells Hospital on Wednesday, June 22.

Police were called after the 28-year-old verbally abused a member of staff and tried to assault him.

As colleagues tried to intervene she began aiming kicks and punched at them.

Colman was charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and with causing disturbance on NHS premises.

She appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced to 240 days in prison.

This included the activation of a suspended sentence for previous offences against emergency workers.

'Any assaults on emergency workers are completely unacceptable...'

District Commander for Tunbridge Wells, Chief Inspector Omid Changizi, said: "Every day police officers and hospital staff deal with unpredictable, challenging and sometimes volatile situations.

"However, like any other job, they should be able to perform their roles without being the subject of abuse and physical violence.

"Any assaults on emergency workers are completely unacceptable and we will not hesitate to prosecute those who put their safety at risk in this way."

The Assaults on Emergency Workers Act came into force in November 2018 and created a new offence of assault against emergency workers - including police, paramedics, nurses and other blue light workers. It also provides tougher sentencing powers for judges.