A mentally ill man launched random attacks on members of the public waiting for the bus while suffering from delusions, a court heard today.
Damion Taylor, 48, punched one man convinced he was an alien, and that the i360 was a UFO. He also attacked a pregnant woman and her partner.
Both incidents happened at the bus stops opposite the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Eastern Road, Brighton.
During the same period, he broke into Sussex Heights and sprayed the word “paedophile” on a doormat – and urinated over a strangers car while making sure her Ring doorbell captured the footage.
Prosecuting at Brighton Magistrates Court today, Chandula Dassanayake said the incidents happened in July and August last year.
On 22 July, Jason Rummery was waiting at the bus stop at about 10pm when Taylor approached him, crossing the road and calling him a paedophile.
Taylor then grabbed his rucksack, but Rummery was able to take it back and walk off. Taylor then followed him and kicked him and punched him, calling him a “fucking alien.”
Later the same night, Ben O’Donovan-Iland and Marie Uwase, who was eight months pregnant, were waiting at the same bus stops when Taylor approached them.
He said to Mr O’Donovan-Iland: “Have you seen what’s going on there?” and went to punch Ms Uwase. Mr O’Donovan-Iland stopped the punch, but Ms Uwase was still knocked to the ground.
Taylor then walked back to the hospital and was detained.
Four days later, he urinated on Kinga Nowak’s car outside her house in Park Street, off Eastern Road. Mr Dassanayake said: “He started urinating on her car and the surrounding floor. This was captured on her Ring doorbell.
“He then goes to ring the bell, at which point Miss Nowak come out and asked him to leave.”
Finally, on 2 August, he broke into Sussex Heights with a can of paint and sprayed “paedophile” on the doormat.
When Taylor, of Regency Square, Brighton, was arrested some months later, police found a quantity of cannabis on him.
Defending, James Turner said: “It’s clear that this defendant was so mentally unwell at the time as to be suffering from a manic episode and he was exhibiting delusional beliefs and thoughts.
“You see him walking along the middle of the road with a vehicle close behind him and what you might consider a dangerous manner from someone not in control of their full faculties.
“These people were completely unknown to him, he had no previous contact with them. He was labouring under the delusion that the i360 was a spacecraft and Mr Rummery was an alien.
“That very much impacts upon his decision making.”
Sentencing, Helen Scott said: “This is a sad episode in your life and it wasn’t good news for those around you either.”
She imposed a nine-month community order, with a requirement to undertake 12 mental health treatment sessions over the next six months, and eight rehabilitation activity requirement days.
He was also ordered to pay Mr Rummery, Mr O’Donovan-Iland and Ms Uwase £50 compensation each, and the management company of Sussex Heights £250 compensation.
