'Fixated' patient jailed over campaign of abuse towards Wakefield GP

A Wakefield patient who was 'fixated' with his GP, persistently targeted him on social media and delivered a menacing hand-written letter through his door, has been locked up.
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Leeds Crown Court was told how the doctor and his wife was left distressed by the hate campaign from Karl James Stevenson, who continued to target the couple despite being handed a restraining order.

The 39-year-old, who was being held on remand at HMP Lincoln, admitted five new breaches of a restraining order, having already been dealt with for similar breaches earlier this year.

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Prosecutor Harry Crowson said that Stevenson, who has a long history of mental illness, was part of a scheme for difficult patients who are excluded from mainstream general practice.

Stevenson targeted his doctor. (library image)Stevenson targeted his doctor. (library image)
Stevenson targeted his doctor. (library image)

He said that the relationship between Stevenson and his doctor "soured" because of communication and medication problems, and so he took to Facebook to attack the GP and his wife.

A restraining order was put in place in October last year to prevent him making contact with the GP.

He was then given an eight-week suspended jail sentence in April of this year after breaching the order five times.

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But just days after being handed the sentence, he took to Facebook again to blame the doctor for his problems.

He then went online on June 3, calling him 'dopey' and insulting his wife.

On June 21 he logged onto Facebook again and accused the doctor of using the police against him.

In October he posted messages including a photo of Adolf Hitler, with the words 'I warned you' written across it and emailed the NHS, abusing the doctor.

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Finally, he delivered the hand-written to the doctor's home on October 7, telling the doctor he "failed him" and chillingly added: "I'm already dead, I have nothing to lose."

The court was told Stevenson, of Arncliffe Road, Wakefield, has three convictions for 11 offences.

Mitigating, Ayman Khokhar said that Stevenson has suffered from "various mental health difficulties" for the last 15 years, and takes anti-psychotic and anti-depressant medication.

He said he has a borderline personality disorder and had spent time in secure psychiatric units.

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He said: "He values routine and finds it difficult to adjust to change.

"It is his genuine perception that the doctor and wife are behind these changes (to his medication) to deliberately spite him. Clearly that is because of his illness.

"He feels he does not have a voice, so takes to social media to express his frustrations."

The judge, Recorder David Gordon told Stevenson: "Over time, you have become somewhat fixated with the doctor and his wife.

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"You were insulting the doctor and blaming him for the situation.

"You seem to entertain the delusion that the doctor is not acting in your best interests."

He jailed him for 45 weeks, and told him the restraining order, which is of indeterminate length, will remain in place.