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Jade Goody's guard out of room as hammer intruder struck
Anna Davis09.03.09
A security guard assigned to protect Jade Goody in hospital was away from his post when a hammer-wielding woman entered her room.
The guard was patrolling the ward when the intruder entered, said a spokesman for the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, where Goody is being treated for cervical cancer.
Nurses and security staff heard Goody call for help and alerted the police. Security at the cancer hospital was stepped up today after the 41-year-old intruder, believed to be French, was arrested.
Police said the woman had an "offensive weapon", believed to be a small hammer, concealed in her bag. They think the woman took the chance to sneak into Goody's ward after her husband, Jack Tweed, 21, left her to go to the hospital canteen.
Goody's family asked for better security around her room. Her publicist, Clifford, said: "Jade was very, very frightened and she screamed out. This woman was inside her room and Jade told me she was chanting and praying. As soon as Jade screamed a nurse came and the woman ran away, but security caught her."
Goody, 27, who has terminal cancer and was heavily sedated at the time, was admitted to the Royal Marsden to relieve her pain. Mr Clifford said she wanted to die at home. "This is the last thing Jade needs at the moment. It was terrifying for her," he said.
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman confirmed that officers went to the hospital yesterday afternoon after reports of an unknown woman being in a patient's room.
"A 41-year-old woman was searched and found in possession of a hammer. She was arrested for possession of an offensive weapon and taken into custody at a west London police station," she said. Police released the woman last night without charging her.
Goody was supposed to have been resting following her christening on Saturday at the hospital. Her sons, Bobby, five, and Freddie, four, were christened in the hospital's chapel in the same ceremony.
A Royal Marsden spokesman said: "The privacy and security of our patients, carers and staff is of the utmost importance.
"Given the extent of the recent media attention, The Royal Marsden had already implemented a number of additional security arrangements - including the hire of additional security staff.
"A security guard was situated outside the patient's room, but was patrolling the ward when the woman entered."
Reader views (9)
my mistake, I accept that carrying a hammer round a hospital is obviously a perfectly acceptable thing to do.
- Squiz, islington
Erm in response to Squiz, my analysis of the situation would be that there is no evidence the woman was acting in a threatening manner and that she had a good reason for being in possession of a hammer. There is a very good chance that she hasn't been charged because she was in the hospital for proper reasons, strayed into Jade's room by accident, rightly startling her, but intending no menace. Until another theory is hypothesised then I can only imagine as much hysteria as can possibly be created around Jade's dying days are very lucrative for her and her agent. A 'small hammer' sounds very dubious indeed to me, maybe she was a physiotherapist or something?
- Real, London
The woman did not harm her,someone carried away with their beliefs! Seems plenty trying to make contact see the messages in various papers, all part of this huge story promoted by Max Clifford.
The NHS hospital is paying for the extra security needed
due to the publicity re the patient.
- K. D., Kent. UK.
I seriously can't believe the comment by KH, 'since when has praying over someone been a threatening act squiz?' -
Right, we'd all love to see your reaction as if you were fighting for your life in hospital when somebody does this to you or a loved one of yours - let alone weilding a hammer.
Indeed what on earth does somebody need to do to be arrested in this country these days, people are more concerned abouts the rights of the offender than the actions taken place on the person affected.
- Curtis, London
maybe this women thought she could help jade,seeing as she was praying and chanting,and i would imagine that jade would be willing to try anything,its just that this woman took her chance when nobody was around,jades situation is heartbreaking, but anything is worth a try,my feelings go out to jade and her family,
- Caz, manchester uk
why was this woman released without charge ? typical. Carrying a hammer in a hospital and acting in a threatening manner ? what do you have to do to serve time in this country ?
- Squiz, islington
since when has praying over someone been a threatening act squiz? she also might have been carrying a hammer for an unrelated reason and THATS WHY she was released. While i feel for jades plight,(and she must have been starteled to see an unfamiliar face when she awoke) this incident is a direct result of selling every aspect of her life (and death) to the highest bidders - therefore you attract people like this woman, who somehow feel they 'know' jade. The hospital is not to blame.
- KH, London UK
This is awful!!! What is wrong with people.
- Becca, Beds
why was this woman released without charge ? typical. Carrying a hammer in a hospital and acting in a threatening manner ? what do you have to do to serve time in this country ?
- Squiz, islington
Released without charge? In other words no crime has been committed.
- Real, London
