AFTER realising his GP had halved his mental health medication a man thought there must have been a mistake but when he rang the surgery to check, he was told there was no error.

Taking matters into his own hands, Lee Johnstone returned to Tinkers Lane Surgery in Royal Wootton Bassett and got into an argument with the receptionist which led to him cutting the back of his hand in front of her.

Now the police have been criticised for the way they handled the incident after Johnstone’s elderly father was pushed to the floor in the commotion and the incident is the subject of an official complaint.

Johnstone, of Tennyson Road, pleaded guilty to being in possession of a knife blade and making threats to damage Tinkers Lane Surgery when he appeared in custody before magistrates sitting in Swindon on Monday.

Michelle Hewitt, prosecuting, told the court that 39-year-old Johnstone had been arrested on Thursday afternoon after he had gone to the surgery and produced a Stanley knife, which he then used to cut the back of his hand during a disagreement over his prescription.

She explained that Johnstone – a diagnosed schizophrenic - had first called the surgery to say he hadn’t had the correct prescription, but when he was told there was no mistake he arrived at the surgery with his 70-year-old father.

“The defendant was persistent, but not aggressive,” she said.

“She didn’t feel threatened or in danger but she did feel he was being a persistent customer.

“He then made a single cut across the entire width of the back of his hand which caused it to bleed immediately. She didn’t feel threatened, she saw it more as an act of bravado.”

He then went outside and made threats to damage the surgery.

Defending him, Gordon Hotson told the court that his client had been having a mental health crisis – which was to be expected as he had had his medication cut in half without any discussion with him.

“He had been without the medication for a couple of days when he called the reception,” he said.

“How they expected him to go without the meds I do not know."

He explained that although he had produced the Stanley knife he hadn’t waved it or pointed it at the receptionist and had only used it to cut himself, which he said was another clear indication of someone in crisis.

“They say he appeared very unstable. Well what a surprise,” Mr Hotson added.

He told the court that a formal complaint had also been submitted about the arresting officers after Johnstone’s father was knocked to the ground.

The magistrates ordered that reports be prepared on Johnstone before they could sentence him.

He was released on conditional bail and told not to contact the surgery until his next appearance at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on June 7.