A man who attacked an elderly lady on a canal towpath before driving his car towards police and nurses has been handed an indefinite hospital order.

Adam Later, from Barnoldswick, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, absconded from a mental health facility in Yorkshire in November 2020.

Burnley Crown Court heard how on November 29, an elderly lady was walking her dog along a canal towpath in Lancaster when Later, who was not known to her, approached her and punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground.

Prosecuting, Adam Watkins said: “She was in complete shock. She had kept hold of her dog lead as she thought he was going to take the dog.

“She was unsure how many further blows were inflicted after she fell to the ground, but two witnesses saw the defendant throwing between six and eight punches downwards at her as she was on the floor.”

Mr Watkins told the court that the witnesses shouted after Later and he ran away, telling them he knew the woman.

At first, explained Mr Watkins, the two passers-by thought Later had been punching the dog but as they approached, they saw the woman on the ground.

One of the men ran after Later to try and take his photograph but the 40-year-old lashed out at the witness before fleeing.

The woman was taken to hospital with a fractured eye socket.

Later was arrested and accepted he was the man in the photograph taken by one of the witnesses but answered no comment to all further questions.

He was bailed and then sent a postal requisition to attend court in 2022.

Mr Watkins said: “It was while on bail for those offences that he committed the second set of offences which took place in Burnley.”

Mr Watkins told the court a police officer and four mental health nurses had been sent to Later’s home address to detain him under the Mental Health Act.

However, when they arrived at his home he answered the door, unclothed, and became aggressive, told them to “f**k off”, and punched a wall.

Mr Watkins said: “The police and mental health nurses left the address so the situation could calm down, and to see if they could obtain a court warrant to detain him later.”

While stood on the street discussing the best course of action to take, Later came out of the property, jumped in his Land Rover and drove it, at speed, towards the officer and nurses.

Mr Watkins went on: “All five of them tried to get up a steep grass embankment but the defendant’s car hit a nurse’s Vauxhall Corsa at speed and her leg became trapped in the wheel arch.

“He then reversed and revved his engine and drove again at the Corsa, but the police officer managed to get the nurse free from the car before he rammed it again.

“He then rammed it for a third time before ramming the police car and then driving off in the direction of Barnoldswick.

“The defendant’s Land Rover was found abandoned in a field and he was arrested three days later after being seen in a car with his brother, and was taken into mental health detention.”

Mr Watkins said the mental health nurse suffered bruising to her leg and was left extremely shaken up, thinking Later was intent on killing her.

The police officer suffered a hip injury and said it was the first time in his 18-year career he’d had to press his emergency button to call for help.

Mitigating for Later, Philip Holden said his client had paranoid schizophrenia and in questioning, psychiatrist Dr Lucy Bacon, who appeared in court via video link, confirmed his behaviour on those two occasions had been linked to his mental illness.

It was also heard Later was at risk of relapsing, putting him at serious risk of harm to the public, and a hospital order was recommended.

Later, of Manchester Road, Barnoldswick, has no previous convictions and pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, as well as grievous bodily harm.

He was handed an indefinite hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act with special requirements under s47 of the same act, meaning he can only be released from the Guild Lodge facility in Preston when staff and the Secretary of State deem he is mentally well enough.

Judge Sara Dodd said: “You will remain at Guild Lodge until those in charge of your care decide otherwise.”

Later was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.