A man grabbed a stranger in a chokehold as she walked to work, rendered her unconscious then told police "her death warrant was signed".
Jamie Mills admitted attempted murder after the shocking unprovoked attack at dawn. The 24-year-old was suffering from a serious psychotic episode when he carried out the assault.
Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Friday, that victim Linda Gray was walking to work shortly after 6.45am on September 7 last year when she was accosted on Pembroke Road in Bootle. Without warning, Mills grabbed her from behind in a chokehold, dragging her to the floor.
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She fell unconscious after being throttled for around 17 seconds, at which point her attacker calmly walked away - leaving her lying motionless on the pavement. CCTV footage of the incident, which was played to the court, showed her come to shortly afterwards and stagger around briefly before a passersby came to her aid.
Martine Snowdon, prosecuting, said they called the police and Mills was arrested nearby. He told officers: "Yeah that's probably me, her death warrant was signed."
Mills, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and has a "complicated history of mental illness", has four previous convictions for four offences - including for assault occasioning actual bodily harm against his granddad, who he strangled unconscious. Michael O'Brien, defending, reported that his client had told him: "I can't find the words to say how sorry I am for what I did to the lady."
Mr O'Brien added: "It is right to say he has made significant progress in hospital. He is now showing some insight into his mental illness and his behaviour on the day in question."
Mills, of no fixed address, was handed an indefinite hospital order as he appeared in court via video link today after pleading guilty to the charge. He was also handed a restraining order preventing him from contacting Ms Gray for life.
Sentencing, Judge Garrett Byrne said: "She was simply walking along the street on her way to work. You then calmly walked away.
"Having heard the medical evidence, I am satisfied that you were suffering from a mental disorder. This disorder, I'm satisfied, makes it appropriate for you to be detained in hospital."
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