Dean Stockwell took LSD and barged into woman's Southampton home

High on hallucinogenic drugs, topless Dean Stockwell began searching his 64-year-old victim's bedroom.

He looked in her cupboards and then laid on the floor next to her bed, prompting her to call the police for help.

When Stockwell left, he was tracked down by officers, who he assaulted in a bid to get away.

Judge Nicholas Rowland was told how the 29-year-old had taken LSD and believed he was a character in a video game.

Prosecutor Martyn Booth told Southampton Crown Court how the incident happened on the morning of October 18.

He told the court how Stockwell's victim was in her flat in Southampton when she heard a noise at the door – left unlocked as she was expecting a friend.

But the woman became concerned when she heard her dog barking.

She went to the door and found a topless Stockwell walking into her flat.

She immediately told him to leave, but he said he needed help and wanted to use her shower.

Stockwell told her he had been in a "sword fight" and that "Americans were coming after him".

He barged past her into her bedroom, where he began searching her cupboards.

Mr Booth said: "He then laid down beside her bed as if he was hiding.

"The woman's dog continued to growl and bark at him so he took a bottle of disinfectant and sprayed the dog in the face.

"The dog started to cower. She called the police."

Stockwell then went into her bathroom, grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his naked torso and left with the bottle of disinfectant.

Mr Booth said the incident left the woman "absolutely petrified" and feeling "vulnerable".

He added: "If someone comes into your home like that and takes advantage of your it must be horrible."

Mr Booth said Stockwell was later spotted by officers, still wearing the pink towel he had taken from the woman's home.

Police attempted to detain him, but he began struggling violently, forcing officers to put him in a leg restraint.

He later told police in interview that he had taken LSD and magic mushrooms with friends and had begun playing a video game on his phone.

Mr Booth said: "In his head, he thought he was inside the video game.

"He believed he needed to get away from the officers in order to win the game."

Reading out Stockwell's criminal history, he said the 29-year-old had 18 previous convictions for 34 offences – which included an ABH charge and an assault against a police officer.

In mitigation, Khalid Missouri said Stockwell had a "history of abusing drugs", primarily cocaine.

He said this was the first occasion Stockwell had taken LSD.

Mr Missouri said: "He clearly wasn't in the right frame of mind at the time of the incident.

"This wasn't pre-planned and there was no break-in."

Mr Missouri added that Stockwell had shown remorse for his actions and was set to move away from his home in Irvine Road, Millbrook, in a bid to get away from drugs and "bad influences".

Stockwell, who pleaded guilty to one count of using violence to secure entry and one count of common assault, was given a six month suspended sentence by Judge Nicholas Rowland, who described the offences as "serious".

As well as the suspended sentence, which will last for 12 months, Stockwell was made subject of a curfew, ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation requirement days and a six month drug rehabilitation programme.

Speaking outside of court, Stockwell expressed remorse for frightening his victim and said that he had suffered a drug-related "psychosis" after taking the LSD.