Patients to be held indefinitely after riot at recovery unit
TWO patients of a mental health unit have been sentenced after causing a riot which caused £500,000 in damage.
Mark Bratherton, 29, and Michael Crosbie, 28, ‘trashed’ the Saddlebridge recovery unit at Soss Moss Hospital in Nether Alderley in 2014, a court heard.
Snooker balls were thrown at terrified staff who locked themselves in an office and were forced to escape through a window.
Fire extinguishers were used to smash doors, windows and computers, medical supplies were raided and there was flooding. One patient even set fire to towels and sheets.
Riot police were called and found ‘utter chaos’ and a police helicopter was scrambled to monitor the situation. All 14 patients were arrested.
At Warrington Crown Court, Crosbie, of The Spinney Hospital, Manchester, and Bratherton, of Cygnet Hospital, Bury, admitted violent disorder and were both sentenced to an indefinite hospital order rather than prison.
The court heard that the pair, who both suffer from paranoid schizophrenia and have extensive criminal records, were among 14 patients at the facility for people with serious mental health issues, operated by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership, an NHS Foundation Trust.
Anna Price, prosecuting, said: “On July 5 at 7.45pm the defendants asked to play snooker. Soon afterwards there was a loud crash as snooker balls fell to the ground.
“Staff could tell there was going to be an incident and set off the panic alarms and ran towards the office. Bratherton was seen to throw a ball at staff as they tried to find refuge.
“Crosbie took a fire extinguisher and smashed it against the window of the computer room. There was a constant sound of crashing as balls rained down.
“The defendants tried to smash their way into the locked office. Staff feared their safety was in serious danger and managed to escape out of an exterior window and call the police as the unit was being destroyed behind them.
“Police arrived and saw a patient igniting towels and sheets.
“Crosbie threw a large TV and ripped a noticeboard from the wall. Eventually they were able to restore order and found fridges and medical cabinets have been prised open.
“The total damage to the structure was £83,000 but after losses it amounts to £500,000.”
Sentencing both men to hospital orders under section 37 and section 41 of the Mental Health Act, Judge Patrick Thompson said: “What ensued was utter chaos. Staff sought sanctuary in the office as balls rained down on them. They were forced to escape through a window. The unit was then totally trashed.”