Man threatened to bomb Birmingham hospital and said he 'hoped all the staff die of coronavirus'

Matthew Wain tells court he 'didn't mean it' and was upset at treatment he received

The threats were made towards Birmingham's City Hospital (Google Streetview)

A man has admitted threatening to bomb a hospital and saying he hoped that “all the staff die of coronavirus”.

Matthew Wain, 31, said he did not intend to harm anyone and did not mean what he said in the YouTube video.

He admitted to sending a grossly offensive or menacing message by means of a public electronic communications network at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Wain, who has mental health issues, made the video about Birmingham City Hospital, where he claimed he was not given proper care while “having a heart attack”.

Prosecutor Peter Lawn told the court: “He is unhappy with treatment he received. He also states 'not being funny, but what happened to me yesterday, I will bomb the place to be honest’.

"He also states that he hopes all the staff die of coronavirus."

Mr Lawn added: "It is the threat to bomb the hospital that brings the defendant before the court today."

Magistrates heard that Wain was arrested on 1 April and told officers he "didn't mean it" and had no intention of harming anyone.

He also stated that he had made "empty threats" on the video, and had been upset and hurt at his treatment.

Wain, who has previous convictions including a malicious communication offence committed in the Norfolk area, was granted conditional bail pending pre-sentence reports.

The defendant, of Hatfield Road in Birmingham, was ordered to return to court on 18 June and instructed not to contact NHS staff unless it was for a genuine medical need.

The offence, under the Malicious Communications Act, is punishable by up to a year’s imprisonment or a fine.

The Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs City Hospital, has seen more than 360 deaths of coronavirus patients since the start of the pandemic.

Additional reporting by PA