A MAN who was being sectioned scarred a mental health nurse for life when he slashed him across the face with a knife.

Kevin Boarer, 57, had just been sectioned at his home when he attacked the nurse and left him covered in cuts.

Despite being sectioned, he was ruled not to have been going through a psychotic episode at the time.

Boarer was spared jail at Hove Crown Court on Friday.

The court heard Boarer was visited by the mental health assessment team – two doctors and mental health nurse Liam O’Reilly – at his mother’s house in Collingwood Close, Peacehaven, on March 1.

He was assessed and sectioned under detention.

The two doctors left Boarer in the care of Mr O’Reilly to wait for an ambulance, which was when he launched the attack.

William Morris, prosecuting, told the court: “Mr O’Reilly did not judge Boarer to pose a risk of threat and while waiting for the ambulance he was attacked from behind by the defendant.

“When Mr O’Reilly turned around he was slashed across the nose with a large knife, causing a deep gash.

“Mr O’Reilly disarmed him and then left the house.

“The length and breadth of the injury required several stitches and caused tremendous pain whilst being put right.

“Mr O’Reilly now has a scar to that part of the nose and complains he has lost sensation at the end of it.

“He finds it difficult to control a sneeze.”

He also had cuts to the crown of his head, on the outside of his right hand, on his right cheek by the ear and one by the outside of his left finger.”

Boarer was transferred to a psychiatric hospital but was found to have had mental capacity at the time of the incident.

Selwyn Shapiro, defending, told the court Boarer was unwell.

“He was obviously acutely mentally unwell at the time, hence the presence of the support team and two doctors.

“It is nothing like the normal situation involving a blade being used.”

Kevin Boarer, of Collingwood Close, Peacehaven, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actually bodily harm.

Judge Paul Tain sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years.

He must also attend 25 rehabilitation activity days.