On Air Now Nick Osborne 10:00am - 3:00pm A-Ha - Take On Me Schedule

Woman Who Took 'Covid Hoax' Photos in Chichester, Now Banned From All Hospitals

St. Richard's Hospital, Chichester (Photo: © Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

The 30-year-old's claims "are an affront to hard-working staff", said Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, after a court order banned from all hospitals a woman who filmed apparently empty corridors to try to show the coronavirus crisis is a hoax.

Hannah Dean, 30, visited hospitals in southeast England and put the pictures on Facebook.

Police have warned her not to go to any hospital site "unless there is a legitimate reason or prior appointment".

She could be charged if she breaks the order.

Dean claimed to be a "registered journalist" but her claims have been dismissed as "untrue and highly disrespectful".

The National Union of Journalists had earlier moved to say Dean had never been a member, and that claims of her status as a journalist were spurious.

Police also warned Dean, from Fareham in Hampshire, not to encourage, endorse or incite anyone to break COVID restrictions.

The photos were said to have been taken at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, Southampton General Hospital, the Princess Royal University hospital near Bromley, and St Richard's Hospital in Chichester.

Alongside images allegedly taken in Portsmouth, she wrote:

"Hospital is the quietest I have ever seen it! I walked all over the hospital, including A&E!

"I know this is hard to get our heads around, but the government are lying to us! And the reason why they're lying to us ... is very disturbing."

Dean's conspiracy-theory laden comments contradict all science, government action and peer-reviewed research relating to the effects of coronavirus infection, and the way it is spreading.

Dean has already been fined over her actions, but could now face court if she breaks the terms of the Community Protection Notice (CPN), issued by Hampshire Police on Monday.

A spokesperson for Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said her claims were an affront to hard-working staff:

"This is untrue and highly disrespectful to all the patients and families affected by COVID, as well as our staff who are working extremely hard in very challenging circumstances.

"We must stress, pictures of empty corridors do not mean our wards and intensive care units are empty."

More from Sussex News

Your News

It’s easy to get in touch with the More Radio News team.

Add you phone number if you would like us to call you back