A schizophrenic young man, who was caught hiding under a staircase after he tried to break into a man’s house, claimed he was being chased and sought refuge.

The 23-year-old was arrested and charged with housebreaking after police found him hiding on the complainant’s premises in Harbour View, St Andrew, on January 22.

The court heard that about 12:40 am, the complainant was at home watching television when he heard sounds on his rooftop. The complainant then turned down the television volume but the sound continued.

The court heard further that the complainant then heard the padlock on his kitchen door being rattled and later saw when a hand was pushed through his kitchen window, pulling the curtain away.

The complainant said he called one of his friends and asked him to call the police, who quickly arrived and found the man hiding underneath the staircase leading to the roof.

Last Friday when the man appeared in court he pleaded guilty to the charge and his lawyer told the court that he was not trying to break into the man’s house.

“He was of the view that he was being chased so in an effort to hide, he went onto the premises,” she told the court.

The lawyer also told the court that her client had different episodes of schizophrenia from time to time, including sometimes when he was not sure of where he was.

But she told the court that while his condition did not pardon his behaviour it begs for the court’s sympathy.

She then asked the court to consider ordering that he be enrolled in a programme for persons with his condition, which was granted by the court as a part of his sentence.

The man was also given a two years probation.