Man sentenced to hospital order over Petersfield stabbing
He was deemed unfit to stand trial due to mental ill health
A man who seriously assaulted another man in Petersfield has been sentenced to a hospital order.
On the 14th of March 2024 Hampshire Police found a 62 year old man with a stab wound to the neck on Cranford Road.
60 year old Martin Copeland of Cranford Road was arrested and charged. He was then hospitalised following assessment from psychiatric experts.
In March 2025, Copeland appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court for a trial of facts as he was deemed unfit to stand trial due to mental ill health. The jury were asked to determine what happened, rather than his guilt. They determined that he had committed the act of stabbing the man.
Following further assessments by psychiatric experts, Copeland was sentenced to a Hospital Order with no limitation on time under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983, with an additional Restriction Order under Section 41 of the act.