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Man Fined After Climbing Hospital Roof Dressed as Grim Reaper

The court fine follows an incident that drew a large emergency response and underscores the NHS's zero-tolerance approach to nuisance at hospital sites.

Overview

  • A 26-year-old man climbed onto the roof of Ysbyty Glan Clwyd hospital on June 6 wearing an all‑black hooded outfit and standing above the entrance while witnesses said he held a long blade.
  • Emergency crews from North Wales Police and the fire service spent about 50 minutes on the scene before bringing him down and arresting him for causing a nuisance on NHS premises.
  • At Llandudno Magistrates' Court the man, identified as Leon Gillespie, pleaded guilty to the nuisance offence and was fined £200 with further orders for costs and small compensation tied to separate shoplifting admissions.
  • Gillespie told the court the outfit was meant to be a crow rather than the Grim Reaper but gave no explanation for climbing the roof or his behaviour on that day.
  • The health board reiterated a zero‑tolerance stance on aggression and nuisance at hospitals and the case highlights pressure on emergency resources and questions about hospital security and patient safety; the formal charge reported was nuisance on NHS premises rather than a weapons offence.