A man who left animal carcasses painted wth satanic symbols outside churches in Hampshire has been committed to a mental health facility.
The man, who initially claimed that his name was "Count Dracula" in court, alleged that he was a "reincarnated vampire".
Benjamin Lewis, 48, from Totton, Southampton, admitted to religiously aggravated harassment and theft after a campaign of terror that stretched from February to August last year. During this period, Lewis raided farms in the middle of the night, slaughtered deer and lambs, and left their disfigured remains, alongside inverted crosses, at churches throughout the region.
The court heard that Lewis, who has a long-standing fascination with vampires, had been part of a vampire cult. Police reported that he believed drinking the blood of animals would grant him immortality, and stop him from "going to hell". When arrested, officers found deer blood in his car and ritualistic items, including satanic symbols and disturbing sketches, at his home.
Judge William Mousley KC sentenced Lewis to an indefinite hospital order on Monday, noting the seriousness of the offences and a history of similar behaviour dating back to his youth. At age 13, Lewis left a dead frog on a cross at a church, and in 2003, he was convicted in the UK’s first case of religious harassment for terrorising a vicar and his family.
The impact of Lewis’s actions on local communities has been profound. Prosecutor Charlotte Deuxberry said that by targeting churches, Lewis caused congregations “to be fearful of going to their sanctuaries,” with some parishioners too afraid to attend church or visit loved ones’ graves.
Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Gauruv Malhan told the court that Lewis had diagnoses of severe autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, mixed personality disorder, and a mild learning disability. Despite his actions, Lewis expressed remorse, saying, “I want to just apologise to the victims because they said they were worried about me if I was to come out. I do not want people to worry about me.”
PC Jessica Surman, of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, described it as “the most bizarre case” she had worked on.