Bristol woman pulled knife on job centre staff
A woman who pulled a knife on Bristol job centre staff after spending two days on the phone trying to get sickness benefit has been told to undergo psychotherapy.
A court heard Lisa Armstrong walked into Jobcentre Plus in Bishopsworth with a six-inch knife and demanded to see the manager after something "snapped" when she could not get help with her benefit over the phone.
The 35-year-old, of Hellyfield Road, Headley Park, who was suffering from psychiatric problems at the time, was disarmed by two police officers.
At Bristol Crown Court yesterday, Armstrong's sentencing was deferred for six months so that she can receive psychotherapy treatment.
Richard Posner, prosecuting, said Armstrong walked into Jobcentre Plus in Bishopsworth with a knife in the middle of the day on August 13.
He said: "It was a kitchen knife, held openly.
"She walked up to a member of staff and asked to see the manager and said 'or she would see him' and lifted the knife up towards waist height.
"The employee went to the back of the job centre and raised the alarm.
"Police were called to see somebody who was reported to be pacing around inside the job centre holding a knife."
Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said her client suffered from panic attacks and was upset that she had caused stress to people inside the job centre.
Judge James Tabor QC deferred sentencing to next May.
14 Comments
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by The Man, Bristol
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:54PM
“So is it OK for depressives to carry kitchen knives with them then...?”
by Sally, Bristol
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:45PM
“Waiting for them to answer the phone is enough to make any sain person go mental”
by s, briizzzzlleee
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:39PM
“this is happening nation wide to people with depression and other mental disorders.. the benefits agency are 100% to blame for this incident and the police should investigate, not only for this lady but anyone else who has been treated in this way. it goes against all human rights to push ill people to the side so our government can claim a few pounds back in benefits ..DISGRACE
it would also be good if people realise you cannot always see these kinds of illnesses , its not fare on the sufferer nor is it fare on anyone who is unlucky enough to be caught up in an incident such as this.
this will happen again and again if people don't get all the help and rights they deserve.”
by hannah, bristol
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:31PM
“sharon? thats got to be the worse kind of mental illness-psychosis.”
by Samantha Creed, Longwell Green
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:29PM
“Sharon you telling me this nutjob has a job?
you poor deluded thing”
by Sally, Bristol
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:17PM
“Well although what she did was wrong... Have any off u ever tried to call the job centres, my god I swear it's quicker to walk there than call them, it takes hrs off your time to try sort anything out, I had to do it for my oap parents, they would have been dead and buried before they got any answer”
by Sharon, Bristol
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:02PM
“Hannah - mental illness controls you without you having any control over yourself”
by Sharon, Bristol
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 2:01PM
“Actually Samantha you can claim sickness payments if your company doesn't which doesn't mean you are a dole scrounger - fact!”
by Dai Hatsu, Bristol
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 1:41PM
“Probably a Giropractor, and they offered her a job.”
by hannah, bristol
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 1:20PM
“I know how she feels!!!! it does get you mad sometimes, but not to the point i would turn in to kathy bates character in the film misery on someone!!!”