Man dressed as 'Grim Reaper' climbs on hospital roof in Wales and alarms patients
A man in a Grim Reaper costume stood on a hospital roof in Denbighshire, waving an object and prompting a police and fire response; he was fined £200 after pleading guilty.
A 26-year-old man who dressed as the "Grim Reaper" climbed onto the roof of a hospital in north Wales and alarmed patients before being detained by police, authorities said.
How the incident unfolded
Leon Gillespie, 26, of Deganwy wore all-black clothing with a hood and positioned himself on a part of the roof with a clear view of the entrance to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Denbighshire. Visitors reported seeing him standing motionless while waving an object that looked like a long knife or scythe.
Police and the fire service were called to the scene. Officers negotiated with Gillespie on the roof for about an hour before they were able to take him into custody.
People inside the hospital said they were shocked by the sight of a man in costume at roof level, and staff escorted visitors away from the area while emergency services attended.
Gillespie later pleaded guilty to causing distress in a hospital and was fined £200.
The case has been dealt with through a monetary penalty following his guilty plea; no further court dates were reported.
Photo: Dot Potter / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
