Knife attacker had struck before

The court heard Beveridge had wielded a knife at a hotel

A woman who slashed two nurses had been released without charge days earlier after a previous knife attack.

Dorothy Beveridge, 41, held a knife to a nurse's throat before cutting her on the face and wounded another's hand.

Staff at Ayr Hospital managed to disarm Beveridge in the attack on 3 July, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.

Unemployed Beveridge, of James Street, in Ayr, admitted assault and sentence was deferred for background reports.

The court was told that the staff nurse who suffered a slash wound to her lip, Karen Wallace, returned to her duties about a month after the incident but has not worked nightshifts since.

Weapon recovered

Her colleague Mary Smith, who had stitches inserted into her thumb and underwent surgery, remains off work because of her injury.

A third nurse, Lesley Howe, who was also attacked has suffered "considerable psychological problems" and has been referred to a therapist. She is on sick leave.

Police had recovered a knife used by Beveridge in an attack at an hotel in Ayr on 30 June just days before she struck at the hospital.

Advocate depute Dorothy Bain said of the earlier incident: "For reasons unknown to the Crown the accused was not arrested or cautioned and charged.

Despite their state of panic staff tried to take the knife from her, but she repeatedly lashed out at them with the knife Dorothy Bain Advocate depute

"At this stage police considered further inquiries were needed and she was liberated."

But at 0330 BST on 3 July she turned up at the accident and emergency unit and walked towards the nurses' station saying she wanted to speak to someone about visiting a friend.

When her request was rejected she pulled out a large knife from her trousers and grabbed nurse Wallace and put the weapon to her throat.

"Despite their state of panic staff tried to take the knife from her, but she repeatedly lashed out at them with the knife," said Miss Bain.

The advocate depute said nurse Smith was slashed on the hand. Nurse Wallace suffered a small slash mark to her bottom lip as she desperately tried to get the knife out of Beveridge's grip.

After a struggle Beveridge was eventually disarmed and escaped. Police found her at the front door. "This time she was apprehended," added Miss Bain.

Beveridge admitted assaulting nurse Wallace by placing the knife against her throat and cutting her face and attacking her colleague, nurse Howe, by brandishing the weapon at her.

She also pled guilty to attacking a member of staff, Margaret Higgins, at the Quality Station Hotel, in Burns Statue Square, in Ayr, on 30 June by lunging towards her with a knife.

Hotel incident

She further admitted committing a breach of the peace at the hotel and possession of an offensive weapon.

Miss Bain said that the first knife attack took place when the hotel was busy with guests and an exhibition was under way.

Ms Higgins, 48, had noticed that Beveridge had a knife in her hand.

Beveridge shouted "come here, come here, can I have a drink" before lunging with the knife in her hand.

Three nurses were injured in the attack

Four police officers arrived and spoke to Beveridge and a knife was found in a sofa in the hotel hallway, but she was not arrested.

Miss Bain said that no physical injuries were caused to hotel staff but those involved in the incident were "visibly upset and shaken and suffering clearly from shock".

Defence counsel Derek Nelson said Beveridge had suffered psychiatric problems and either a lengthy jail term or a hospital order might be required in her case.

Lord Dawson agreed to defer sentence on Beveridge, who is in custody, until next month for reports from doctors.