A PARANOID schizophrenic has been handed a four year jail sentence after going into a stranger’s home and exposing himself.

Ryan Collier was charged with committing an indecent act at a flat in Colchester in September last year.

Appearing at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday, the 46-year-old admitted trespassing with the intent to commit a sexual offence of exposure.

He initially denied committing the offences but entered a guilty plea at a later date.

The court heard Collier, of Iceni Way, Colchester, slipped into the property though an open door before carrying out a sexual act on himself on a sofa.

Collier was caught in the act by the home occupier and there was an altercation between the pair.

The home owner managed to get Collier out of his home - where his children were at the time of the offence.

When police arrived, they found Collier’s identification as well as a pair of gloves and a mask.

The court heard Collier is a paranoid schizophrenic with significant issues with his memory and he said he could not remember what happened in the home.

Judge Christopher Morgan said: “Why you entered [the flat] is difficult to understand.

“There is the suggestion you have suffered from hallucinations but many of your other issues are induced by your long standing consumption of drugs.

“You have experienced difficulty with your mental health and said you have no memory of the experience from the night in question.

“You had been taking some form of drug and were found with amphetamines.”

Judge Morgan said there is no explanation as to why Collier got into the flat and exposed himself.

He also said there was no explanation for his state of mind and added the incident was traumatic for the family in the flat.

Judge Morgan also told the court the mask the police found could mean a sexual offence was planned to be carried out.

He said: “There is no explanation for you to put forward a realistic argument.

“But you eventually admitted your guilt.”

He sentenced Collier to four years imprisonment.