HEALTH Secretary John Reid last night hailed a court ruling that made legal history by banning a jobless man from every hospital in the country.

Over the years, Norman Hutchins - who has a bizarre fetish for surgical masks - has plagued hospitals and GP and dental surgeries across the region, including Darlington, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Newcastle.

Hutchins, 53, will not be able to set foot in any medical centre - hospitals, surgeries or dentists' clinics - following the unique order by York magistrates.

The month-long interim Anti-Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) applies to both the NHS and the private sector and follows an alleged campaign of repeated verbal and physical abuse against staff.

If he has a genuine need for healthcare, he will need to get written permission or attend in accordance with strict instructions on his behaviour - or risk five years in prison.

Mr Reid said: "I would like to congratulate all of those involved in getting this first Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

"We will not tolerate violence against NHS staff, and this is just one of the many steps we are taking to ensure staff safety."

The court heard yesterday that Hutchins, of Rowntree Avenue, York, had a fetish for surgical masks and would contact NHS organisations to get them, claiming he needed them for amateur dramatics or fancy-dress.

The prosecutor for City of York Council, Justin Crossley, said Hutchins's record of behaviour for dishonestly obtaining surgical garments went back 15 or 16 years.

In Darlington, he physically and verbally abused staff at the town's Memorial Hospital and had to be removed by police.

When he was arrested in Middlesbrough he was found to be carrying a knife.

On January 27 this year he went into a dental surgery in Selby, North Yorkshire, and after obtaining a mask asked a member of staff to put it on and then take it off.

Two days later, Hutchins allegedly entered the casualty department at York District Hospital where he became verbally abusive to staff and then produced a knife.

The court was told that Hutchins's anti-social behaviour had become progressively worse and that in the past five months he had verbally or physically abused NHS staff on 47 occasions.

However, the magistrates were informed that some of the allegations against Hutchins had yet to be proved. His solicitor, Harry Bayman, said Hutchins denied some specific points but was prepared to agree to the interim order.

The case will now be heard again on June 30 and in the meantime Hutchins will appear at the city's crown court in relation to alleged offences of dishonesty.

In the past, Hutchins has avoided breaking civil injunctions brought against him by several hospitals by moving around the country.

He is understood to have had contacts with more than a dozen NHS trusts in recent months, from Dundee to Devon.

Yesterday's action is being seen as the first shot in a new "three strikes and you're out" campaign to target violent offenders at hospitals.

The case was brought by the council in partnership with the NHS Security Management Service and the police.

The chief executive of the NHS Security Management Service, Jim Gee, said it was pleased the order had been granted.

"It is essential that we use all the means at our disposal to minimise the threat of violence against NHS staff," he said. "This order sends a strong message to anyone who would consider acting violently or abusively towards NHS staff. We are determined to protect the NHS so that it can properly protect the public's health."

The Asbo prevents Hutchins from contacting establishments in order to obtain medical masks, gowns or medical-related clothing.

It also prohibits him from using threatening, abusive, insulting or intimidating behaviour to any members of staff or visitors in any medical establishments.

Chris Spence, acting health and safety manager at South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "The trust was one of a number of NHS organisations to take out a civil injunction against Mr Hutchins from entering our hospital premises.

"On one occasion, he came into the accident and emergency department at the James Cook University Hospital where he was recognised by staff and detained by security until the police arrived. He was later found to be carrying a knife and arrested."

John Saxby, chief executive of County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We have a policy of zero tolerance towards patients who threaten, abuse or attack our staff.

"Hopefully this landmark case should help create a safer working environment for them."

Ted Robertson, Unison branch secretary at Darlington Memorial Hospital, said: "Hospitals need to have security staff permanently positioned in accident and emergency departments because that is usually where the problems are found."