A MAN who carried out a sustained attack on two men blamed his behaviour on an anti-smoking drug he was taking.

Paul Lane assaulted a friend in his house, butting him, kneed him and threatening the man with a 10-inch kitchen knife.

He then left the house and started assaulting another man, punching and kicking him to the floor.

Sam Lamsdale, defending, said Lane had been taking Champix – a drug designed to help people stop smoking – and believes this affected his behaviour. “He would ask you to consider the effect it had, it was bizarre behaviour and now he is free of it, he looks back and wonders what happened,” Miss Lamsdale said.

The incident happened on Tuesday, April 15, shortly after 36-year-old Lane discovered his grandmother had died.

On his way home from the pub he stopped at a friend’s house, banged on the door and pushed his way in.

Lane, of Yates Hay Road, Malvern, butted the man twice before going to the kitchen where he picked up a bread knife, walked back to the man and held it to his stomach, before kneeing him in the thigh.

As his victim lay on the floor, Lane dropped the knife and left the room, knocking items off the work surface as he left.

Outside, Lane pushed over the man’s motorbike, causing £400 damage.

As Lane walked along the pavement he passed another friend, Brian Moakes.

Mr Moakes said ‘Hi’ but the reply was a punch to the face followed by a kick to the leg which caused him to fall to the ground.

While on the ground Lane rained more blows on to his victim and dragged him into the road. A car pulled up and sounded the horn, but the attack continued and Lane hit and punched him again around the back of the head and face. By this time, Mr Moakes had curled into a ball and was screaming for help but he was again kicked and punched. Then suddenly, Lane stopped and walked off.

Lane appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court yesterday to be sentenced for common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

Lane had been taking Champix for 11 weeks when the attack happened, and Miss Lamsdale gave reference to the reported side effects of the drug, including changes in behaviour and users reporting disturbing thoughts of harming others. “He cannot understand why he did it and wonders if the medication he was on affected him,” Miss Lamsdale said.

“He is not a violent man, there is nothing to suggest he goes around assaulting people.”

Lane was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to each of his victims, £325.73 compensation for damage to the motorbike, and £300 costs.