A 19 year old Zimbabwean teenager who was stabbed and bitten on the cheek in the United Kingdom slipped into a psychosis and believed that he was Barack Obama after the assault wound turned septic.
Attack causes hallucinations: A cheek bite Tatenda Kamasho (right) suffered during an attack by Jordace Sinclair turned septic which caused him to hallucinate that he was American President Barack Obama (left)
Tatenda Kamasho was assaulted by Jordace Sinclair, 18, while waiting in a queue at McDonald’s in The Drapery, Northampton. The infected bite mark on his cheek caused him to hallucinate and develop ‘God-like delusions’.
Northampton Crown Court heard how the young man was attacked by Sinclair when he objected to Kamasho talking. Sinclair also made threats to strangle him at 6am on June 17. Prosecutor Mary Loram said: ‘At this point, the defendant head butted him and there was an exchange of punches.’
Sinclair, of no fixed address but from Northampton, then pulled a knife from the back of his trousers and stabbed Kamasho with such force the knife snapped in two. They fell to the ground and Sinclair bit Kamasho’s cheek before he was restrained by staff.
While waiting: Sinclair attacked Mr Kamasho in this McDonald’s in Northampton when he objected to Mr Kamasho talking. Sinclair stabbed him with a knife with such force it snapped in two and also bit his cheek
Kamasho’s injuries were considered life-threatening and he was treated for the stab wound at Northampton Hospital. He was readmitted the next day when the cheek bite became septic. His airway closed and he was put in a five-day induced coma. On June 26 he began to suffer hallucinations.
Ms Loram said Kamasho’s condition deteriorated to such a state that he believed he was the American President and could hear ‘six million people talking, with God-like delusions’.
Jailed: Sinclair (right) was sentenced to five years jail at Northampton Crown Court
She said he is still being treated at a psychiatric hospital four months after the attack and sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
Sinclair pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of a knife and theft and was jailed for five years.
Judge Richard Bray told Sinclair:
‘The bite to the cheek was a particularly unpleasant act.
‘The injuries had disastrous consequences for him. He developed a serious infection, was in a coma for five days and the doctors describe them as life-threatening.
‘The prognosis is uncertain. I appreciate you did not intend to cause injuries that serious. ‘However, you have to take the consequences of what followed.’
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