AN UNEMPLOYED man from York was this afternoon banned from all hospitals, doctors' and dentists' surgeries and other National Health Service establishments throughout the country.

Justin Crossley, representing City of York Council, told York magistrates of a catalogue of actions by Norman Hutchins, 53, over the past 15 to 16 years which he said amounted to anti-social behaviour towards NHS staff.

Hutchins, of Rowntree Avenue, Clifton, York, is in custody pending sentence for trying to obtain surgical masks and gowns by deception.

Mr Crossley said Hutchins' alleged anti-social behaviour was at times connected with his many bids to get medical clothing from NHS premises across the UK.

He urged the magistrates to ban Hutchins from any NHS establishment, including GPs surgeries, casualty units and dentists without a lawful excuse and that when he does attend he should identify himself by his real name and tell staff about the court order.

The order would also ban Hutchins from using threatening behaviour or carrying a knife on NHS premises and prohibit him from making any attempt, including telephone calls, to obtain surgical masks or other medical clothing from any establishment.

Mr Crossley claimed the order was necessary because previous court attempts including injunctions had failed to stop Hutchins' behaviour.

Mr Crossley told magistrates that the order was only a temporary measure and that Hutchins did not accept that he has behaved in an anti-social manner or that he has behaved in the way alleged by the council.

Hutchins did not appear in court, though he was in the cells below the court room. The magistrates heard that he did not wish to go into the court room.

Mr Crossley said Hutchins had previous convictions for some of the behaviour alleged against him, that he had been jailed or given other criminal court punishments in the past and that he had been barred by court injunctions from attending various NHS establishments throughout the north of England. But none of the methods had succeeded in stopping his behaviour.

Mr Crossley said York council accepted that Hutchins would need to visit medical establishments for genuine reasons connected with his health and the order would not bar him from doing so.

The council wanted the order made even though Hutchins was currently in custody because he could be released when he appeared before York Crown Court for sentence next week. He also raised the possibility that the crown court itself could make an anti-social behavioural order.

The court was told that Hutchins has already been made the subject of an injunction barring him from York District Hospital and from several other centres in the north-east of England.

Harry Bayman, for Hutchins, said his client would not oppose a four-week interim order. But he denied a number of the allegations made in court, including using a false name.

He said: "I would not agree that the injunction has had no effect in moderating his behaviour, for the most part the terms of that injunction have been kept."

The order will last until June 30 when there will be another hearing.

Updated: 14:35 Wednesday, June 02, 2004