A 51-year-old man accused of threatening and assaulting two staff members at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute was ordered to return to the hospital when he appeared in Magistrates’ Court this morning.

Maurice Burrows, of Devonshire, allegedly threatened and assaulted a doctor at the psychiatric facility on December 9 last year.

The court heard that the doctor was making his rounds when Mr Burrows told him: “Next time I see you downtown I will punch you in the face.”

He then allegedly grabbed the doctor by the throat and only let go when another staff member restrained him.

Mr Burrows was also accused of threatening a mental welfare officer and possessing a bladed weapon in a public place at the hospital on February 17 last year.

Crown Prosecutor Susan Mulligan said that he had verbally abused the staff member and threatened her with a pair of scissors.

Mr Burrows had appeared in Magistrates’ Court last month to face the charges, but was deemed unfit to plea because of his mental health issues.

Further assessments of his condition were ordered at that time and he was remanded into custody.

In court today, Ms Mulligan suggested that Mr Burrows be ordered to return to hospital under the Mental Health Act because Westgate Correctional Facility was not equipped to deal with him.

She said that this was the best the courts could do because there was no secure facility in Bermuda for mental health patients.

She added that the other option would have been to take the matter to Supreme Court, which could send Mr Burrows overseas for treatment.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo said that this was a recurring issue in Bermuda and ordered that Mr Burrows be remanded into custody until he can be returned to the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute.