A MAN scratched the word “nonce” into an innocent victim’s car and slashed his tyres after falsely believing he was a paedophile and a child killer.

Jason Richards, 44, from Newport caused £4,700 worth of damage to a man’s Mercedes following the attack in the Bettws area of the city.

Matthew Comer, prosecuting, revealed that the defendant has a history of harassing the complainant and breaching a restraining order imposed to protect him.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Richards is a paranoid schizophrenic who suffers “psychotic symptoms”.

Mr Comer said: “The victim noticed on the morning of Sunday, June 25 that all the tyres of his white Mercedes were flat.

MORE NEWS: Man threatened to blow up his ‘noisy’ neighbours with petrol bombs

“They had stab marks on all of them which caused them to deflate.

“The word ‘nonce’ was scratched on the boot of the vehicle and on the passenger door side the words ‘child killer’ were also scratched.

“There is CCTV of the incident and the victim looked at the CCTV and he believed it to be Jason Richards committing the damage.

“He described having a number of issues with Mr Richards over the past few years.

“In particular, in a statement, he suggests that Mr Richards had been writing graffiti about him in various locations around the Newport area.”

Thomas Stanway representing the defendant said: “The psychotic symptoms that he suffers from concern the victim and the defendant does not know why.

“He hears that his son is screaming and that the victim is going to kill him and that he sexually assaulted him.

“The defendant can't give any real reason why his symptoms are focused upon him.”

There is no substance to Richard's imaginings about the victim. 

Richards, of Ombersley Road, pleaded guilty to being in breach of a restraining order and criminal damage.

The judge, Recorder Jonathan Rees KC, said: “Obviously, his record is a record that raises real concern.

“There is obviously an issue about that and his mental health needs to be considered very carefully.

“The current offences cause concern and, as the author of the pre-sentence report notes, there is obviously a risk of future harm, particularly to the victim.”

Sentence was adjourned for the preparation of a medical report and the defendant was remanded in custody.