NOTTINGHAM MAN WITH PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIA HANDED HOSPITAL ORDER AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON TRAINS
A paranoid schizophrenic from Nottingham sexually assaulted two complete strangers.A hearing at Nottingham Crown Court heard how Courtney Stewart approached both victims, one when he was on a train between Nottingham and Mansfield, made sexual advances towards them and touched them sexually.
One of them said he lost his job and struggles to use the railway network since he was molested by the defendant.
Now Stewart has been handed a hospital order meaning he will remain in a secure unit until the secretary of state deems that he no longer needs treatment and is not a danger to the public.
Judge Mark Watson told the 27-year-old, of St Ann’s: “You touched (victim one) as he walked towards Nottingham railway station, touching him first on his buttocks and then on his genitals.
You then touched (the second victim) while he was travelling on a train to Mansfield.
“The evidence was that you approached the men in an overly-sexual way and neither man consented to your advances or consented to you touching them in the way that you did.
(Victim two) in particular, says his health has been affected in a serious way since being touched by you.
“He describes himself as anxious and nervous and told how immediately after the offence on him he was left ‘shaking uncontrollably’.
Since it happened he has struggled to use the railway network and has lost his job due to what happened to him.
“I have heard from two experts who have both assessed you and who have both concluded with a formal diagnosis that you are someone who lives with paranoid schizophrenia.” What is called a finding of fact hearing which took place last year heard how both offences took place in September 2023.
Stewart, of Kildare Road, approached both men, made sexual advances towards them and then sexually assaulted them.
Denney Lau, prosecuting, said that since the incident, victim two has not only lost his job but also his flat and that the landlord is demanding he pays £2,000.
He said that man has been so badly affected by what happened he has been hospitalised following self harm episodes.
After hearing all the evidence, a jury found that the defendant did both acts, which is different to a conviction of finding him guilty of sexual assault.
Both victims' identities are protected by law.
