become psychotic at the time of an alleged sexual assault, a court was told last week.

The man, who denies sexually assaulting a 30-year-old Sandys Parish woman on May 30 last year, claimed he had no memory of the events surrounding the alleged attack.

He also denied unlawfully assaulting the woman's friend, assaulting a Police officer, using offensive language in a public place, and escaping lawful custody when he appeared in Magistrates' Court last Friday.

The court had heard how the man had approached a man and woman on Cavello Road, Sandys and forced the woman to quote Biblical verses before accusing the man of having sex with her. He then grabbed the woman's groin and said she "shouldn't give this up to a non-believer'' before tearing her shirt open.

Earlier he had approached another man, Michael Siese, and told him: "Repent before me or I will kill you.'' When two Policemen appeared, he punched one in the face before escaping. He was later arrested.

But when the defendant himself testified, he said: "I don't know about anything.'' He said he did not remember the incident and had never seen the people who testified against him.

"I can remember being in the location of Somerset between the gas station and Arnold's Supermarket and having a cold beer -- a Guinness -- but I cannot remember who the men were,'' he said.

The defendant said he later felt that after making a quick stop at home, something was wrong and he was not feeling well.

He added the next thing he remembered was being arrested and going through "a whole heap of different emotions mentally''.

The defendant was later taken to St. Brendan's Hospital and committed.

Psychiatrist Sarath Anandagoda from St. Brendan's Hospital testified that the defendant was suffering from an acute psychotic illness at that time.

He explained the illness caused the sufferer to lose touch with reality.

When asked by Victoria Pearman, representing the man, whether victims of the illness could understand what was going on around them or control themselves, Dr. Anandagoda said: "It depends on the degree of psychosis and the area in which their realities are distorted.'' He said the defendant had shown symptoms of psychosis and when his urine was tested there was evidence that he had used cannabis recently, which can spark psychosis.

Dr. Anandagoda said the drug in the defendant's system, mixed with the alcohol that he had had that day, caused the onset of the illness.

This was particularly evident as the symptoms disappeared after a short time, while his body was not using the drug or having alcohol.

Mr. King ordered the defendant, a father of four, to return to court on Friday for judgment.