A WOMAN with a psychopathic disorder who attacked hospital patients and tampered with equipment is to be detained under the Mental Health Act.

Stephanie Barnes resorted to child abuse while on visits to the Royal Preston Hospital.

Preston Crown Court heard she may even have caused a baby ear problems by poking a lollipop stick down its ear.

In addition, she tampered with the oxygen supply of a three-year-old boy and hit an older boy patient across the face.

A judge directed the 22-year-old be the subject of hospital and restriction orders, to protect the public from the risk of serious harm.

Barnes, from Chorley, has been held at Rampton high security hospital and has been identified as suffering from Munchausens Syndrome By Proxy.

The defendant, formerly of Lakeland Gardens, in Chorley, had pleaded guilty to 15 charges of child cruelty and five other charges of making threats to

kill, affray, common assault and attempted assault. The hospital attacks took place in the autumn of 2001.

The final incident occurred at the mental health unit of Chorley Hospital where Barnes was admitted in December 2001. There she threatened to kill a woman and grabbed her. She had no previous convictions.

Tony Cross, defending, said that when initially remanded by the court in 2002, Barnes was incapable of recognising what she had done. That had

changed through her assessment and treatment at Rampton.

After the case, Detective Constable Dot Walker, of the Lancashire Police major crimes unit, and the officer in charge of the investigation, said "These were nasty vicious attacks on vulnerable children. Barnes is a devious manipulative individual."