Vampire Claimant Detained Under Mental Health Act for Church Animal Displays

A 48-year-old man, Benjamin Lewis, has been detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act for his role in a series of disturbing incidents where dead animals were displayed outside churches in Hampshire. The self-proclaimed 'vampire' admitted to five counts of religiously aggravated intentional harassment and two counts of theft, which included killing deer and stealing lambs. Between February and August last year, Lewis arranged the dead animals in gruesome displays at four churches, leaving residents in the New Forest area fearful for their safety and that of their animals. Police investigator PC Jessica Surman described the case as one of the most bizarre she had handled, revealing that Lewis believed he was a 'reincarnated vampire' who could prolong his life by drinking blood. According to Surman, Lewis thought that by consuming animal blood, he would gain energy and avoid death, and that he was motivated by a mix of Satanic symbols and 'fantastical thinking patterns.' The investigation involved staking out churches on full moon nights before Lewis was eventually arrested. During his first arrest, police found animal blood in his vehicle, and a later search of his home uncovered sketches of vampires, dead animals, and satanic symbols. The court heard that Lewis' actions caused significant distress to church communities, with prosecutor Laura Deuxberry stating that the incidents made people fearful of attending their places of worship. Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Gauruv Malhan testified that Lewis has autism, mixed personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and a possible mild learning disorder, warning that there is a risk of escalation from harming animals to harming humans. Sentencing Lewis, Judge William Mousley KC said that the offences would have justified a substantial period of imprisonment, but instead, Lewis was made subject to an indefinite hospital order for treatment under the Mental Health Act. Following the sentencing, Lewis apologized in court, stating that he did not want people to worry about him.