A 31-year-old man has been banned from entering Royal Oldham Hospital for three years after threatening to set it on fire, following a court order secured by Oldham Council.

Andrew Stonier, of Oldham, was issued with a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) at Tameside Magistrates’ Court. The council sought the CBO to protect NHS staff at Royal Oldham Hospital from further threats and abuse. A CBO is a court order in England and Wales designed to tackle the most serious and persistent offenders involved in anti-social behaviour, and it can include restrictions to prevent future incidents. This order prohibits Stonier from entering the hospital site until 28 June 2029. He is only allowed to attend for pre-arranged appointments or in genuine emergencies.

The council sought the order after a series of incidents where Stonier subjected hospital staff to serious abuse and threats. In a statement, the council said: "The order follows a series of incidents in which the offender made repeated threats towards nurses and hospital staff, including threats to set fire to the hospital. This behaviour caused significant disruption as staff spent hours on end dealing with Stonier, diverting valuable time and resources." The local authority noted that this disruption impacted patient care and placed unnecessary strain on NHS services.

Under the terms of the CBO, Stonier is prohibited from entering or attempting to enter any clinical area, ward, department, A&E, or outpatient facility at Royal Oldham Hospital. If he needs to attend the hospital, he can only do so for a pre-arranged appointment, and he must arrive no more than 30 minutes before and leave within 30 minutes after the appointment. The exemption for emergency treatment applies only when immediate medical care is required. A breach of the order will result in arrest, and Stonier could face further criminal action.

An Oldham Council spokesperson said: “This individual’s behaviour towards dedicated NHS staff was completely unacceptable. No one should be subjected to threatening, abusive or intimidating behaviour while carrying out their job, particularly those working tirelessly to provide care to patients. These incidents placed an unnecessary burden on hospital staff and valuable NHS time and resources were spent dealing with his vile and threatening behaviour. We took robust action to secure this Criminal Behaviour Order, which sends a clear message that behaviour of this nature will not be tolerated and we will ensure that action is taken against anyone whose behaviour causes harm, fear or disruption in our communities.”

Breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order is a criminal offence, and Stonier could face further court proceedings if he violates the terms. Anyone who breaches the conditions of a CBO faces further criminal action and could be returned to court. The order, which lasts until June 2029, reinforces the council’s commitment to ensuring a safe environment for NHS workers in Oldham. The council has emphasised that protecting those who provide essential services is a top priority, and this case serves as a warning to others who may engage in similar behaviour.