South Yorkshire thug threatened hospital security staff with hypodermic needles and told them he had HIV

A thug who threatened hospital security staff with hypodermic needles and told them he had HIV is now behind bars.
By Jon Cooper
Published 5th Jul 2021, 06:31 BST
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Sheffield Crown Court heard on July 1 how Michael Brailsford, aged 34, of Elm Grove, Greasbrough, Rotherham, threatened the security staff at Rotherham General Hospital.

Ben Whittingham, prosecuting, said: “He immediately pulled two needles from down his trousers and held them at chest height and continued to make verbal threats.”

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Mr Whittingham added that staff ran away in fear and panic and a personal statement from one of the victims stated Brailsford was ‘abusive and nasty’ and made the work of the hospital staff difficult.

Pictured is Michael Brailsford, aged 34, of Elm Grove, Rotherham, who was sentenced to 16 months of custody after he admitted possessing and making threats in a pubic place with a bladed article, namely hypodermic needles, which he used to threaten hospital security staff.Pictured is Michael Brailsford, aged 34, of Elm Grove, Rotherham, who was sentenced to 16 months of custody after he admitted possessing and making threats in a pubic place with a bladed article, namely hypodermic needles, which he used to threaten hospital security staff.
Pictured is Michael Brailsford, aged 34, of Elm Grove, Rotherham, who was sentenced to 16 months of custody after he admitted possessing and making threats in a pubic place with a bladed article, namely hypodermic needles, which he used to threaten hospital security staff.

Brailsford, who has previous convictions, admitted possessing and making threats with a bladed article in a public place, namely the needles, which he used to threaten the security staff.

He also admitted to using threatening behaviour after the incident on March 9, 2021.

Rebecca Tanner, defending, said Brailsford appreciates it was a wholly unpleasant incident but he has been diagnosed with mental health conditions and he desperately requires constructive assistance.

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She added that when he has been unable to deal with his mental health issues he has used illicit substances to self-medicate and that has harmed his overall well-being.

Ms Tanner said a doctor stated that Brailsford needs to comply with medication and desist from using illicit substances.

Brailsford wants to be free of drugs, according to Ms Tanner, and feels he would be in a position to engage with the probation service and the drug services.

Judge Rachael Harrison told Brailsford: “On this occasion you told security staff at Rotherham Hospital, from where you were being ejected, you had HIV and you threatened to stab them producing two needles.”

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She added that Brailsford’s behaviour was was more likely to have been due to his drug abuse rather than his mental health conditions.

Judge Harrison told him: “You cannot threaten people who work in the public arena who are there to try and help. And in this particular case custody is the only option open to me.”

She sentenced Brailsford to 16 months of custody.

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