A MAN who sparked a two-hour stand-off with police after climbing on to the roof of a Grimsby supermarket is set to be transferred to Rampton high security hospital.
Samuel Ford is expected to be moved from prison to Rampton because of serious concerns about his mental health, a court heard.
The 22-year-old, of Duke Street, Grimsby, is due to be sentenced on a charge of attempted robbery following a knife incident at the Asda supermarket in January and a separate offence of arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, at a Hull mental health centre.
But he was not brought to Hull Crown Court for a hearing because he was said to be not fit to attend.
Defence barrister Louise Reevell told the court that Ford was expected to be transferred shortly from Hull Prison to Rampton high security hospital, near Retford, Nottinghamshire.
"Now they don't unlock his cell unless there are five prison officers there," said Mrs Reevell.
"They will want to transfer him as soon as possible."
Further psychiatric reports would be prepared on Ford before any hospital order was made, the court heard.
Judge David Tremberg said two doctors would need to provide reports and one of them would need to give evidence to the court before a final decision was made.
The case was adjourned until December 3 pending the preparation of further medical reports.
As reported in January, police were involved in a two-hour stand-off at Asda after they received a report of a man on the roof of the supermarket.
He was thought to have had a knife and to have run through the store and threatened a member of staff before climbing on to the roof.
A crowd of people gathered in the Asda car park and police cordoned off the area. Police vehicles, an ambulance and a helicopter were called in.
Ford was later arrested after being persuaded to come down. A second male, a 16-year-old youth, also climbed on to the roof.
The separate arson offence involves an incident at the Miranda House mental health centre, Hull, in which he is thought to have set fire to a mattress.
As reported in November 2008, Ford was given an anti-social behaviour order at Grimsby Magistrates' Court.
