A MAN has been detained in hospital after an organic personality disorder led to him attacking his 81-year-old grandmother, threatening to kill his brother and smash up social services.

Bobby Ferraro, 29, of East Wichel Way, admitted making threats to kill while brandishing a knife at his mother's house on January 26.

It was the latest in a string of 11 convictions for 20 offences.

Ferraro, who suffered a serious brain injury in an accident when he was 13, will now remain at St Mary’s Hospital, in Warrington, with a restriction on his liberty under section 41 of the Mental Health Act.

At Swindon Crown Court yesterday written evidence from two doctors indicated Ferraro suffers from organic personality disorder with organic delusional disorder.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told the court: “There have been mental health issues flagged up from the outset by the defence.

“In this offence he has attended his mother’s address having been there earlier that morning, appearing to be quite calm.

"He came back brandishing a knife saying he is going to kill his brother.

“His mother wondered if he had left the property with the knife, should she have called the police. In the end Mr Ferraro himself called the police and told them he was threatening to kill his brother.

“His brother was not in the property at the time and was completely unaware of the threats.”

In 2008, Ferraro admitted an assault on his elderly grandmother at her sheltered accommodation after taking drink and drugs, when he told her, ‘You die now,’ before smothering her with a pillow and drawing a knife. She died six weeks after the attack.

“Mr Ferraro has a total of 11 convictions for 20 offences, one of which is an assault on his own grandmother in her home,” said Ms Hingston.

“There is also a threat to damage property in February 2013 when he took a hammer to the social services building at Clarence House and threatened to smash up the building.”

Rob Ross, defending Ferraro, said: “It became clear when Bobby Ferraro was arrested again in relation to this offence that there were problems showing very clearly in the way he was behaving.

"He stayed in custody for some time and various reports were done. It was important to consider the effects that may well have been caused by an accident when he was 13.

“An interim hospital order led to him going to St Mary’s, in Warrington. There is no dispute about the need for a hospital order.”

Dr Lakshmanan Ramachandran, a consultant forensic psychiatrist at St Mary’s, specialising in patients with a history of brain injury, gave evidence to the court.

“Bobby Ferraro has always maintained he should not be in hospital and he should be released,” said Dr Ramachandran.

“He has always taken exception that he has been in hospital at all.

“He can become extremely upset, which is typical of someone with a brain injury, and finds it very difficult to calm himself down.

“He has consistently refused to take medication, and there have been occasions where there were confrontations with Mr Ferraro and other patients.

"He has consistently showed a propensity for violence, on occasions resorting to assaults threatening the use of weapons, and there is a diversity of victims who have been on the receiving end.

“He is highly likely to pose a risk of serious harm.”

Judge Douglas Field told Ferraro: "In the circumstances of your character and your antecedents the most suitable method is for a hospital order and period of detention at St Mary’s.

"Having regard to the risk of you committing further offences if set at large, I consider it necessary for the protection of the public from serious harm.

“This threat was directed towards your own brother, and you were in front of your mother while brandishing your knife and threatening to kill him.

“Fortunately police were alerted, it seems by yourself, so that threat was never carried out.

“You have suffered a serious head injury when you were a teenager, which has led to the development of this disorder which is at the very root of your medical problems.

"The fact is you attacked your own grandmother, and on another occasion made off with a hammer, went to social services and threatened to smash the place up.”

No costs were awarded and Ferraro will remain at St Mary’s Hospital, in Warrington.