A PATIENT who kicked and punched a fellow resident nearly 50 times after they “fell out over a game of cards” was sentenced to a hospital order.

Hyden Huq, 28, “committed an act of serious violence” on his victim at Llanarth Court Hospital in Raglan, Monmouthshire.

But a court heard how the defendant was “psychotic” at the time of the attack earlier this year.

Llanarth Court is specialist hospital providing medium and low secure care for men and women with mental illnesses and personality disorders.

Prosecutor Eugene Egan told Cardiff Crown Court at an earlier hearing: “The defendant attacked a fellow patient, throwing 30 punches and kicking his victim 15 times.

“It seems they had a dispute over a game of cards. The complainant was taken to hospital, but he only sustained minor injuries.”

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Huq, now of the Caswell Clinic, Bridgend, pleaded guilty to causing his victim actual bodily harm.

The offence was committed on March 18.

Judge Michael Fitton QC heard how the defendant, represented by Stephen Thomas, had previous convictions for robbery, possession of a firearms and offensive weapons.

After the preparation of a psychiatric report, Huq was sentenced to a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act.

Judge Fitton said: “The defendant was psychotic at the time of the offence.”

He added: “That the victim didn’t suffer serious injury was more out of good fortune than anything else.”

Huq will continue to be treated at the Caswell Clinic, a medium secure forensic mental health unit for men and women.