A COUNCILLOR who took in a homeless man to live rent-free on his sofa ended up being attacked by him.

Southend councillor Laurie Burton gave Joseph Perkins a place to stay after finding him on the streets of the town.

The two men knew each other as Mr Burton had previously taught Perkins in college.

Mr Burton, Labour councillor for Blenheim Park ward, offered the 21-year-old help in summer 2019 and initially things went well.

Perkins slept on the sofa and he was allowed to live rent-free, as Mr Burton said it “wasn’t doing him any good” sleeping rough.

But following a deterioration in Perkins’ mental health, he ended up assaulting Mr Burton on January 4 last year.

He later broke into his home with a garden rake shouting ‘get ready to die, I am going to murder you’.

Perkins, who has since been diagnosed with personality disorders, was arrested and later admitted the assault and was given a restraining order against Mr Burton meaning he was forbidden to contact him or go to his address.

But just one day later, Perkins returned to Mr Burton’s home in Southend, confronting him as he got home from work on January 7.

At Perkins’ sentencing at Basildon Crown Court yesterday, Gareth Hughes, prosecuting, said: “Mr Burton told him to go or he would call the police.

“He appeared to become rather more aggressive and started throwing items at the rear door window. Feeling rather unsafe, Mr Burton exited the premises and hid behind a parked car.

“He called the police and they arrived pretty soon afterwards. By now Mr Perkins had broken the glass door panel and had entered the flat.

“They found him in the hallway of the flat holding a garden rake in his hands.

“He was arrested, he began to shout various threats such as ‘get ready to die, I am going to murder you’.”

Perkins, formerly of Kent but now of Brockfield House in Runwell, admitted breaching the order, aggravated burglary and assaulting an emergency worker.

Judge Andrew Hurst said it was in Perkins’ and the public’s best interest that he remain in care and imposed a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act.

Victim's response

Laurie Burton sad the situation around Joseph Perkins has been "very sad".

As Perkins was given a hospital order to aid his mental health issues at Basildon Crown Court yesterday, the court heard from Mr Burton’s victim impact statement.

He said he felt “anxious and unsafe in his own home” and worried those feelings may return.

In a statement after the sentencing, Mr Burton said: “It’s obviously a very sad situation. 

“I was happy to give Joe a place to stay for a bit as it wasn’t doing him any good sleeping rough. 

“However, clearly he needed more specialist care so I’m hopeful he will now get the care he needs.”