A THUG punched a nurse in the head in an ugly, unprovoked attack while he was being treated for injuries he sustained in a car crash.

Kai Brazier was being treated at Colchester Hospital when he suddenly became abusive to staff.

He got up out of the bed and struck a nearby monitor.

Seeing what had happened, a nurse followed him to corridor but was struck in the head causing a large gash.

Brazier, 21, was in hospital having been on a driving lesson when the car was shunted from behind.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard he had no recollection of what he had done but admitted to criminal damage and assaulting an emergency worker after viewing CCTV.

The nurse said he had suffered anxiety after returning to work when dealing with unpredictable patients and had followed Brazier to try to prevent an innocent person being assaulted.

Gemma Lee, mitigating, said Brazier had suffered from mental health issues.

“He has no explanation for why he behaved in that way,” she said.

“It happened and he is genuinely sorry.

“He knows the nurse went to work that day to help people, not be assaulted.

“He is remorseful.”

The attack happened in November when Brazier, of Arnold Drive, Colchester, was serving a suspended sentence for grievous bodily harm having punched a rough sleeper so hard he needed surgery.

Chairman of the bench Robert Clubb said the offence was too serious for him to deal with and Brazier will be sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court next month.

“By any measure, this is a very unpleasant set of circumstances,” he said.

“Any assault on a vulnerable hospital worker had to be taken very seriously.”