A HEALTH worker accused of stabbing herself outside an Ayr hospital has made her first public court appearance in connection with the “faked” knife attack.

Donna Maxwell, of Irvine, was injured in the grounds of Ailsa Hospital, in Ayr, last year.

A major police investigation was launched which saw Aisla, the neighbouring Ayr Hospital, and nearby Queen Margaret Academy, placed on lock down.

No staff, patients, teachers, pupils or parents were allowed to enter or leave, for around three hours on the day in question, November 22 last year.

Police Scotland’s Major Inquiry Team launched a full-scale investigation, which saw teams of uniformed cops being drafted in to patrol the hospital grounds, fearing a knife thug was still on the lose.

Maxwell spent two days in hospital recovering from a serious knife wound to her abdomen, but was arrested some three weeks later and charged by policeThe mother-of-one made her first, and previously only, court appearance in connection with the case last year, behind closed doors at Ayr Sheriff Court, charged with wasting police time.

And the 43-year-old made her first public court appearance in connection with the case this week.

It was originally on the list to call at Ayr Sheriff Court on Friday.

But the case was taken off the list and did not call as scheduled, with staff at the court confirming it had actually been rescheduled, and taken place earlier in the week.

And, following the hearing, it can now be revealed that she is charged with wasting police time between November 22 and November 27 last year, by lying to police about what happened.

Prosecutors claim that “on a number of occasions” she informed police officers, that she “had been assaulted and struck on the body with a knife” when she had not.

The single charge against her states that she lied to the officers at her home in Irvine, at Ayr Hospital, in Dalmellington Road, Ayr, and elsewhere in Scotland.

T he charge adds her actions “did cause officers of the police service of Scotland, maintained at the public expense, for the public benefit, to devote their time and services in the investigation of said representation made by [her] which [she] knew to be false, and did temporarily deprive the public of their services and render the lieges liable to suspicion and accusation of assault to injury.”

During this week’s hearing, Maxwell pleaded not guilty to the charge against her, and lawyers lodged a number of documents in connection with the case.

Sher iff Scott Pattison extended the time bar in the case, the time during which Maxwell can be prosecuted, continued consideration of the minut es lodged by Maxwell’s lawyer, and continued her bail.

He then continued the case until next month for a further pre-trial hearing to take place.