Paranoid schizophrenic with perceived gripe lobs petrol bomb into Leigh Park neighbours’ back garden causing it to explode into flames

Paul Taylor, 64, delivered a searing ‘revenge attack’ after an apparent feud with residents on Middle Park Way, Leigh Park, turned ugly on January 11.

Taylor, who had not been taking his medication and had become ‘unwell’, believed the people next door had done ‘something bad’ to him, Portsmouth Crown Court heard.

It sparked Taylor into concocting a petrol-fuelled Molotov cocktail - a device the government trained men too old to fight to use in the Second World War - before launching it over a fence.

The incident, captured on home CCTV and played to the court, showed it explode into flames near a shed before going out.

Prosecutor Thomas Wilkins said: ‘Fortunately no one was present at the time. When the victims returned there was some distress.’

Helen Easterbrook, defending, said Taylor had stopped taking his medication during lockdown after believing he was getting better before his mental health plummeted.

The lawyer said he ‘wanted to get (the neighbours) attention’ after believing they had been destroying his property.

‘He was suffering with a severe mental disorder at the time that affected his ability to make rational decisions,’ she said.

‘His intention was to go round and have a verbal altercation and have it out with them.’

The court heard how Taylor, who has five convictions for harassment, would write notes to his neighbours after believing they had ‘grassed on him’.

They were said to find his behaviour ‘very, very odd’.

Taylor also used threatening behaviour during the incident and damaged two of the victim’s cars that were ‘extremely expensive’ to repair.

Taylor was remanded following the attack before he was released in May. A psychiatric report confirmed he was a paranoid schizophrenic who was suffering an episode after not taking his medication.

The defendant admitted arson, affray and criminal damage.

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Judge, Recorder Charles Langley, said Taylor was ‘doing much better’ after ‘not fully knowing what he was doing at the time’ of the offence, with him now engaging with support services and taking his medication.

He added: ‘Whether it is part of your paranoid schizophrenia, you certainly had some view they had done something bad to you.

‘You sent them a number of notes in threatening terms that must have come from you, especially as one related to a Molotov cocktail - which was later thrown over their fence.

‘A neighbour saw you outside trying to set fire to the fence and a camera recording shows a Molotov cocktail being thrown over the fence with it lit. Thankfully it didn’t hit the wood shed two metres away.

‘Luckily no one was at home and no one was injured. Had the fire spread the situation could have changed.’

After concluding that Taylor had effectively already served an eight-month sentence on remand, and taking his diminished responsibility with mental health into consideration at the time, Taylor was served a 15-month sentence suspended for 24 months.

He must also complete 20 rehabilitation days and pay £500 compensation.

Taylor was given a restraining order for five years not to return to Middle Park Way or contact the victims.