A MANIC depressive who smeared blood in his landlady’s hair and throughout her home has appeared before Worcester’s magistrates.

After breaking into the home of Margaret Rogers by smashing through a window, Darren Rew, who still had shards of glass stuck in his arm, smeared blood on her face, the furniture, curtains, carpets and walls.

Rew, of Eastham, near Tenbury Wells, who has a history of mental health problems, broke into her home in March after she had left a can of paint at his house. He hit her in the ribs and punched her twice in the face, and when she tried ringing for the police, 41-year-old Rew smashed the phone. When the police arrived, Rew was in the foetal position in the road in a pool of blood.

But when he again got to his feet, he ignored police orders for him to keep back, was aggressive and violent, and was struck in the leg with a baton.

“Mr Rew didn’t have any sign of recognition or pain in his face,” said Marie Watton, prosecuting. She said Rew suffered from bi-polar disorder, but had stopped taking his medication.

When questioned by police he could not remember anything about the incident.

Miss Watton said Mrs Rogers had suffered psychologically from the ordeal. She had also had to cut her hair as it never felt clean after the blood had been in it, and her home had to be completely re-decorated.

Rew admitted the charges of criminal damage of £5,986 to property, assault by beating and assault on a constable in the execution of his duty.

In mitigation, David Taylor said Rew was of previous good character and had stopped taking his medication because he had felt a lot better in previous months.

He said: “This incident was plainly a dreadful one for Mrs Rogers, but it was also dreadful for Mr Rew as he suffered significant injuries to himself. He suffered a broken arm, severed tendons and will bear to his dying day some grotesque scars.”

Magistrates sentenced Rew to a four-month custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months. He was told to pay £608.50 in compensation and court costs, ordered to stay at his home address for six months and banned from contacting Mrs Rogers for a year.