Jonty Bravery, the man who inflicted terror at London's Tate Modern by throwing a six-year-old boy from a tenth-floor balcony, has been handed an additional prison sentence for violently attacking two nurses at the high-security Broadmoor psychiatric hospital.
A history of horrific violence
On August 4, 2019, Bravery, then aged 17, committed an act that horrified the nation. He threw a six-year-old French boy headfirst from the viewing platform of the Tate Modern gallery, smiling as onlookers watched in terror. The child miraculously survived the 100-foot fall but sustained life-changing injuries, including a brain bleed and multiple fractures.
When confronted by the boy's father, who initially thought the incident was a sick joke, Bravery calmly confirmed his state of mind, replying, "Yes, I am mad." He later told psychiatrists he felt "indestructible" and "on top of the world" during the attack, expressing disappointment that the child had not died.
New attacks behind secure walls
Now aged 24 and serving a life sentence with a minimum 15-year term imposed in 2020, Bravery's violence has continued within Broadmoor. In September 2025, he brutally assaulted two nurses, Linda McKinlay and Kate Mastalerz, leading to a new guilty verdict and an additional 16-week sentence.
The court heard that Bravery, who requires constant monitoring by three staff members, had asked to use the toilet before attempting to climb a ledge to throw himself from it. When the nurses intervened to restrain him, he kicked Ms Mastalerz in the thigh and clawed at Ms McKinlay's face, drawing blood.
Body-worn footage captured the chaotic struggle, with a staff member heard shouting, "Jesus Christ, do something!" Ms McKinlay, a grandmother, stated this was the first time she had been attacked in her many years at Broadmoor, leaving her "very shaken."
An uncertain and dangerous future
This is not Bravery's first assault in custody. In 2020, he was jailed for another 14 weeks after attacking a nursing assistant and biting a rehabilitation therapist. His defence counsel, Philippa McAtasney, has previously stated there is "no immediate cure" for his mental health conditions, which include autism and a personality disorder.
Following his arrest for the Tate Modern attack, Bravery told police he wanted to be on the news "so everyone, especially my parents, could see their mistakes in not putting me in a hospital." He also inquired if the incident would be reported.
The prognosis from his trial remains stark. The Old Bailey heard in 2020 that Bravery is "unlikely ever to be released," a view reinforced by his continued extreme violence. He is currently held in a sparse room containing only a mattress, under the most stringent supervision, with his future almost certain to be spent permanently within secure confinement.
