Drink and drugs led to garden assault

4:59pm Tuesday 18th March 2008

A Pembroke Dock man, who had been diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis, took a dangerous combination of valium and alcohol before going on the rampage on October 19th 2007.

Steven John Harvey, of 18 Charles Thomas Avenue, entered a garden in Meyrick Street at around midnight repeatedly shouting abuse, Vaughn Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, told Haverfordwest magistrates today.

The owner of one of the flats, Tracy Powell came to her door and saw that Harvey was in her garden, she asked him to leave but he continued to shout and his speech was slurred.

Ms Powell started to move Harvey towards her gate and out of the garden. At this point he kicked her gate so hard that it broke the spring mechanism.

The 18-year-old then threw a birdbath and a garden bench at Ms Powell before walking up to her and punching her twice in the face. He then picked up pieces of the broken bench and shouted: "I'm going to f***ing have you".

The court heard that Ms Powell was terrified. She had bruising and swelling to her cheek and slight whiplash from the force of the blow.

Harvey then went to the front of the premises and threw a second bench, shattering a double-glazed window.

Alun Morgan, defending, said that Harvey had no recollection of what had happened that night, due to the combination of medication and alcohol, and was "appalled" when he learned of his behaviour.

He said Harvey was an "advert for why you should not take illegal substances". He had taken a concoction of drugs, including cocaine and amphetamines between the ages of 12 and 16, being diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis at 14.

He now suffers from paranoia, depression and agoraphobia and was receiving medical attention.

Harvey pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal damage and one of common assault.

"We feel very concerned about your behaviour and your medical condition," said presiding magistrate David Simpson, before issuing a five month, electronically-tagged curfew, a £291 compensation order and £60 costs.