Man Arrested After Hospital Roof Grim Reaper Scare
Bastillepost · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
A 26-year-old man was arrested after climbing onto the roof of Ysbyty Glan Clwyd hospital in Wales while dressed in black and holding what appeared to be a scythe-like object. He remained there for about 50 minutes, alarming patients, doctors and hospital staff, and was later fined by a court after being charged with causing a public nuisance at an NHS hospital.
Key Points
- The incident happened on June 6, when Leon Gillespie, 26, climbed onto the roof of Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Wales.
- He wore a black hooded outfit, held an object resembling a scythe, and made strange noises while looking down at people below.
- Patients, doctors and hospital workers were unsettled during the roughly 50-minute rooftop episode before police removed and arrested him.
- Gillespie was prosecuted on suspicion of causing a public nuisance at an NHS hospital and was fined £200 over the hospital disturbance.
- During court proceedings, he denied dressing as the Grim Reaper, saying he had intended to portray a crow.
- The court also heard he had been involved in two earlier theft cases, including stealing cat food, cat litter and other goods.
- He was separately fined £250 for the two theft offences, which took place on March 26 and May 28 in the same town.
Why It Matters
Hospitals depend on calm and secure surroundings, so even a short-lived disturbance can unsettle patients and staff and draw police resources away from other duties. For Hong Kong readers, the case is a reminder that behaviour seen as theatrical or eccentric can still lead to criminal penalties when it disrupts medical services.