Pensioner, 87, nearly died after attacker broke into his home in Rugby and savagely beat him

Marcin Gacioch carried out the brutal attack because of a delusional belief that his 87-year-old victim had been stalking his girlfriend, a judge at Warwick Crown Court has heard.

Gacioch (33) of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary, wounding the pensioner with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm and assaulting another man the same day.

And Judge Andrew Lockhart QC ordered him to be detained in a secure psychiatric unit under the Mental Health Act.

He also imposed a restriction on Gacioch’s release, which means that he can only be discharged when it is considered safe to do so with the approval of the Secretary of State.

Prosecutor Ian Windridge said Gacioch had been living with two other men in a multi-occupancy house in Victoria Street, Rugby, until he was evicted at the end of December last year because of unpaid rent.

The two men who remained in the house kept some of his belongings as security until he had paid what he owed.

“He returned on the 8th of January, not to pay the money, but as a burglar, and he smashed a window and entered the house and took his own property and items belonging to the others.”

That night Gacioch was arrested after breaking into premises in Evreux Way, Rugby, but the next day he was granted bail by magistrates after pleading guilty.

On January 22 a man was waiting for a workmate to pick him up in Murray Road at 5.30 in the morning when Gacioch went up to him and asked why he was there.

He then punched the man to the face without warning, knocking him to the floor semi-conscious, with bruising to his nose and eye and leaving him with a deviation to his nose.

Then at just after nine that morning a woman went out, leaving her 87-year-old husband in the kitchen of their home in Rugby.

A short time later someone delivering newspapers went to the house, and after opening the porch door saw that the glass in the main door had been smashed and the pensioner was unconscious on the floor in the hallway.

He was taken by ambulance to hospital where it was found he had extensive bruising to his face and head, fractures to his cheekbone and eye socket and a number of other injuries.

They were consistent with him having been repeatedly hit with a wooden pole with metal on the end, which his attacker had left behind in the hallway.

And Judge Lockhart commented: “This man could have died. This could have been indicted as attempted murder.”

Gacioch was arrested shortly afterwards after a woman reported him to the police because of his behaviour in Bawnmore Road, when he had allegedly exposed himself, which he denied.

Mr Windridge added that Gacioch, who had a wooden pole with metal ends on him when he was arrested, had no previous convictions, but had two cautions for drug offences.

The court heard that psychiatrists who examined Gacioch found he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and delusions.

Andrew Wilkins, defending, said: “We have a man who up until January did not behave violently.

“His mental health began to deteriorate and he was violent, and he continued to be violent in custody, but was transferred to Reaside [psychiatric clinic] and has received treatment, and there have been no further violent incidents.”

Mr Wilkins said there was no question that Gacioch needed ongoing treatment, and that there should be a restriction on his discharge, but argued against an order which would have seen him going to prison to serve a sentence once he was discharged.

Sentencing Gacioch, Judge Lockhart pointed out that his elderly victim had been ‘a man who was healthy and confident’ who had been upgrading his model railway and making plans for his summer holiday at the time.

But the attack had left him lacking in confidence, unstable on his feet, unable to walk far and needing to use a wheelchair, and with a lack of energy and a loss of concentration.

“His cancer had been in remission, but after this incident it became worse again. While no-one can say that it was the result of the trauma, those who know him believe what you did to him has essentially ruined his life.”

The judge told Gacioch: “In January you fell out with those you had been living with, and you went back and burgled the house. It was a mean offence.

“Then on the 22nd of January you have simply smashed your way into your victim’s home and then attacked him. I have seen the injuries to him, they are quite horrific.

“He has had to have plastic surgery to the right and left temple region and a partially-amputated left ear, a fracture to the eye socket and brow, and has lost fragments of bone.

“He was particularly vulnerable, and you struck him time and again in a sustained assault.

“You suffer a mental health disability due to amphetamine and cocaine dependence, and with psychotic and delusional beliefs.

“This offence was triggered by a delusion you were not able to control. You told [a psychiatrist] this man was stalking your girlfriend and that you were going to teach him a lesson.

“I am absolutely clear in my mind you are a dangerous offender. I have at the forefront of my mind the need to ensure the public are the best protected. You will be detained for a very long time under this order.”