“Paranoid” Sheffield man who attacked police officer with axe may now be eligible for parole
Nathan Sumner attacked police officers called to his Sheffield home in April 2016 during a period of acute paranoid thinking linked to his schizophrenia diagnosis. After assaulting one officer, he pursued PC Lisa Bates with an axe and struck her repeatedly while she lay helpless on the ground after breaking her leg attempting to escape. She sustained permanent nerve damage to her hand, enduring nightmares and psychological effects that ultimately led her to leave police service.
Following his December 2016 conviction for grievous bodily harm with intent, Sumner received a 15-year prison sentence with a requirement to serve at least two-thirds before parole consideration. He is now approaching that threshold after approximately ten years in custody, triggering the legal process for assessing his psychiatric stability and determining whether public safety permits his eventual release.
- Schizophrenic man sentenced to 15 years in 2016 for axe attack on female police officer now approaching parole eligibility after serving nearly two-thirds of sentence
- Victim suffered severe permanent injuries and psychological trauma; later left police force
- Parole decision will depend on psychiatric assessment and evaluation of risk to public safety
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Nathan Sumner was jailed for 15 years in December 2016 after attacking Sheffield police officers at his home in April that year, an incident that happened while he was experiencing acute paranoid thinking connected to his schizophrenia. He assaulted one officer before chasing PC Lisa Bates, who had broken her leg trying to get away, and struck her repeatedly with an axe as she lay on the ground. She was left with permanent nerve damage and psychological effects that later led her to leave the police service.
Sumner's sentence required him to serve at least two-thirds of it before he could be considered for parole. Having now spent around ten years in custody, he has reached that point, meaning the Parole Board must assess factors such as his mental health and the risk he might pose before deciding whether he can be released.
Parole reviews like this are standard procedure once an offender reaches their minimum term, and being eligible for consideration does not mean release is guaranteed. The case has drawn attention partly because of the severity of the attack and its lasting impact on PC Bates, and partly because it raises broader questions about how the justice system handles offenders whose crimes are linked to serious mental illness.