AN unemployed woman who went berserk at her local Jobcentre, knifing four people in an apparently motiveless attack, was sent to Broadmoor indefinitely by an Old Bailey judge yesterday.

Pearline Ayton, 28, indiscriminately slashed at customers and staff with screwdrivers and knives, said Mr Mark Dennis, prosecuting.

She embedded a knife in 25-year-old Simon Bridge's skull. Mr Bridge, an electrician, tried to remove it himself but it eventually had to be removed surgically in hospital.

Ayton, from Bexleyheath, south-east London, denied attempting to murder four people at Bexleyheath Jobcentre in January of this year, but admitted wounding them.

She was described by psychiatrists as a continuing danger to the public and suffering from mental illness.

The Recorder of London, Sir Lawrence Verney, ordered that she should be sent to Broadmoor without limit of time. ``It is for doctors to decide when it is safe to return you to the community,'' he said.

Ayton had attended the Jobcentre for three years and was well known to staff, said Mr Dennis.

She had called in the day before her attack and spoken to one of her victims about her Income Support claim.

She also wanted to see someone about numeracy and literacy problems.

The staff member, Mrs Sonia Fairburn, pointed out that, from Ayton's records, there did not appear to be any problems but an appointment was made for her to return next day.

Ayton reappeared the next day, with a carrier bag containing four knives and five screwdrivers.

``It was a deliberate decision to go there to cause havoc for some unknown reason. She was obviously suffering from mental illness at the time,'' said Mr Dennis.

``She made an unprovoked and indiscriminate attack on members of the staff and the public.''

Ayton went up to a queue of people in the open-plan office and produced a knife, said Mr Dennis, adding: ``There was no warning from her.''

Ayton then stabbed Mr Bridge in the back of the head.

``She produced a screwdriver and attacked Mandy King, striking her on the side of the head, knocking her to the floor.''

As Ayton continued to rain blows at Ms King's head, a member of staff, fearing for Ms King's life, threw a chair at Ayton's head, Mr Dennis told the court. However, Ayton just turned round and went for him.

``He and others in the area scattered. There was a general panic.''

Ms King was struck again before Ayton made her way upstairs to staff quarters, where Mrs Fairburn was having a tea break.

``She was confronted by the defendant, who came straight at her wielding a knife.''

Mrs Fairburn was injured in the hand and head.

Attempts were made to stop Ayton's advance by throwing chairs at her, and she was tackled by a woman employee, Ms Kerry Goodchild, who knocked the knife from her hand, said Mr Dennis.

Ayton then headed for a room where administrative officer Robert Wood was dialling 999. She burst in and stabbed him in the upper arm, causing a seven-inch cut which pierced an artery.

Two other employees, armed with fire extinguishers, finally confronted Ayton, who shouted ``You all laugh at me'' before police arrived and arrested her.

All four victims had to receive hospital treatment and the two staff members were still not back at work, Mr Dennis added.

Mr Andrew Patience QC, defending, said that Ayton had not worked for three years, had cut herself off from her family, lived alone, and turned in on herself.

``These circumstances aggravated her mental illness,'' he said.

All those concerned had received counselling for stress.