NHS nurse, 48, who stabbed herself outside a hospital and pretended she was 'randomly attacked' by a patient in warped bid to claim compensation collapses in the dock as she is jailed

Donna Maxwell staged the attacl outside a hospital in Ayr, ScotlandThe police investigation has so far cost taxpayers more than £103,000 

An NHS nurse who stabbed herself outside a hospital and pretended she had been randomly attacked by a patient collapsed in the dock as she was jailed today.

Donna Maxwell, 48, staged the incident outside the Ailsa Hospital in Ayr, Scotland, in November 2018 in a warped bid to claim compensation.

The horror incident sparked a huge police response and an innocent woman – who has since died – appeared in court in connection with the incident. She was later cleared of any involvement.

Maxwell, of Irvine, Ayrshire, continued to insist that she was the victim of a random attack during the four-day trial at Ayr Sheriff Court.

But her story came undone when the court saw CCTV footage of her buying a knife in Tesco that matched the blade she would go on to stab herself with.

Donna Maxwell (pictured) who stabbed herself outside a hospital and pretended she had been randomly attacked by a patient collapsed in the dock as she was jailed today

She staged the incident outside the Ailsa Hospital in Ayr, Scotland, in November 2018 in a warped bid to claim compensation

Police outside Ailsa Hospital in Ayr, after Maxwell stabbed herself and then claimed to be the victim of a ‘random’ attack

The jury found her guilty of wasting police time and she was jalied today for a year.

The court was told the police investigation had so far cost taxpayers £103,000 with that figure expected to rise further.

Ian Gillies, defending, said: ‘This matter has gone on for some considerable time now and her position remains as she gave evidence at the trial.

‘It is a serious matter and the gravity of the offence has to be judged and you could deal with that without the need for a custodial disposal.

‘The court has to deal with her on the basis that she carried out this attack on her herself.

‘But I don’t see who a sentence of imprisonment would benefit.’

Maxwell told the court the accusation she had stabbed herself was ‘completely untrue’.

She also told the jury how she had been confronted by her alleged attacker before being stabbed.

The court was told the police investigation had so far cost taxpayers £103,000 with that figure expected to rise further

The police cordon at Ailsa Hospital in Ayr, North Ayrshire, after the incident

Maxwell convinced colleagues – who ran to her aid – that she had been ambushed and knifed at the facility, which specialises in mental health, psychiatry and addictions.

James McGoldrick, who served as a detective sergeant in Police Scotland’s cyber crime unit, told the trial that police had analysed Maxwell’s phone and found searches for ‘woman’s anatomy’ and ‘woman’s anatomy diagram’.

Searches for ‘claim compensation’ on the UK Government’s website and ‘claim compensation if victim of crime’, were also found in the web history.

Sheriff Shirley Foran said: ‘You have been found guilty of a serious instance of wasting police time by making a false report of a knife attack.

‘The local community feared a knife attacker was at large, Ayr Hospital was secured for a period of time and further alarm was caused to one close colleague that she may have been the intended target and she was left fearing upset and anxiety

‘The divergence of police resources to your report meant the public were deprived of their efforts.

‘Most heinously of all, your report led to a number of women being subjected to investigation and one was remanded for eight days.

‘You have shown no remorse or have you taken any responsibility.’

An ambulance crew was spotted outside the court following the hearing.

Prosecutors alleged that ‘on a number of occasions’ between November 22 and 27 2018, Maxwell informed police that she ‘had been assaulted and struck on the body with a knife’.

The single charge alleged she made statements to the police, at her Irvine home and at Ayr Hospital, which she knew to be false, and that she ‘did temporarily deprive the public of [the police’s] services’.