A MAN who shot a person in a random attack using a crossbow, leaving his victim having nightmares, has been given a hospital order.

Dane Perry, 37, of formerly of King Johns Road, carried out the unprovoked attack in North Warnborough, shooting a 55-year-old with a crossbow bolt on March 28, last year.

The victim David Hughes was attending to his animals in a paddock that backed onto the flats where Perry lived at the time.

Kerry Maylin, prosecuting, said that Mr Hughes was approached from behind by Perry who was carrying a crossbow and bolts.

“He told him to get onto the ground, when Mr Hughes was on the ground, he discharged the crossbow.” Fortunately, the victim managed to avert his head and avoid the bolt.

Perry “pounced” on Mr Hughes and strangled him, the victim struggled with the crossbow and managed to dislodge it for a moment before his escape.

“A crossbow bolt would be discharged on two further occasions,” Ms Maylin said. One hitting a water butt and others found in the paddock.

As Mr Hughes made his escape Perry was said to be making threats to his life, Winchester Crown Court was told today (Tuesday).

In a victim impact statement, Mr Hughes said: “I have been suffering from shock since this incident, I have been wary of going outside because of what happened and I have been having nightmares about it.”

Mr Hughes said he has nightmares about a crossbow bolt hitting him and being strangled when on the ground.

When police arrived another loaded crossbow was found positioned in an open window of Perry's flat.

Perry was found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon following a trial in October last year, and in November he pleaded guilty to attempting to commit GBH with intent - ahead of a retrial. A third count of attempted murder will lie on file.

He is currently at Ravenswood House, a medium secure unit providing assessment, care and treatment for adults with serious mental illness, in Knowle, near Fareham.

The court was told that when the incident took place Perry was suffering from a psychotic episode and was under the influence of drink and drugs but this “wouldn’t have impaired his ability know what he was doing was wrong”.

The Recorder of Winchester, Judge Angela Morris said: “The circumstances in which this offence happened, the victim was completely unawares of the events which were to follow. This is not a case where there has been some sort of animosity between Mr Perry and the victim.

“It was random and with by sheer luck did the first bolt not hit Mr Hughes and by an element of dexterity on the part of Mr Hughes, did the second bolt not hit him, if either had occurred I don’t there are any prizes for what the likely outcome would have been given the nature of the weapon involved.”

Dr Jane Collier, who is currently treating Perry, said that he would be detained for a minimum of two years, and that he will require a “substantial amount of psychological work going forward”.

She continued: “He will not be discharged into the community until we are absolutely confident he has resolved his symptoms, he has a very clear understanding of the need to take medication in the future and the consequences of doing so.”

The judge imposed a mental health order which will see Perry continue his treatment at Ravenswood.