A 48-year-old man from Totton, Hampshire, has been ordered to be detained in hospital following a series of incidents in which he left dead animal carcasses at churches in the New Forest area. Benjamin Lewis, who has a longstanding fascination with vampires and graveyards, was found to have stolen and slaughtered livestock, primarily lambs, which he then placed inside and outside church premises, causing distress among local residents and churchgoers.

Police investigations began after several animals, including stolen lambs and roadkill deer, were discovered at multiple ecclesiastical sites, sometimes arranged with symbolic items such as inverted crosses and tarot cards. One lamb was impaled on a church cross, while others were positioned near a statue of the Virgin Mary and inside a church pulpit. The disturbing displays, sometimes witnessed by children, alarmed the community, with some parishioners expressing fear that prevented them from attending church services. In one case, a woman was too frightened to visit the church where her child was buried.

Authorities launched targeted surveillance of churches on dates significant to the satanic calendar as part of their efforts to identify the perpetrator. Lewis was arrested after forensic analysis revealed his DNA on a lamb carcass. During court proceedings, when asked to state his identity, Lewis responded with the name "Count Dracula," reflecting his belief that consuming blood would allow him to live forever and avoid death.

At Southampton Crown Court, prosecutor Laura Deuxberry outlined that Lewis’s actions constituted religiously aggravated harassment, alarm, or distress, as well as theft of animals. Evidence presented included sketches of vampires, ritualistic notes, and references to blood consumption found during a search of Lewis's home. The offences took place between February and August of the previous year, although concerns about Lewis's behavior had existed for a number of years.

Lewis admitted to the charges and apologized to his victims, expressing no ill feelings towards the police responsible for his arrest. He appeared remotely from a hospital, where he is being held under psychiatric care. Consultant psychiatrist Dr. Gauruv Malhan described Lewis as having complex mental health difficulties and noted that he had recently been transferred from a low-secure to a medium-secure hospital facility.

Judge William Mousley KC ruled that Lewis would remain detained for treatment until a mental health tribunal or the justice secretary deems it appropriate for his release. Lewis has a prior conviction from 2003, when he was imprisoned for terrorizing a vicar and his family by claiming to be a vampire.

Local farmers affected by the theft and killing of lambs expressed their distress. Sarah Harrison, who lost black lambs to Lewis, described the acts as frightening and harmful to the flock’s welfare. Hampshire police officer PC Jessica Surman called the case one of the most unusual she had encountered, highlighting the unusual blend of criminal acts motivated by Lewis’s vampire beliefs.