Vampire Fan's Church Rituals: Deer Heads & Slaughtered Lambs

Benjamin Lewis, a 48-year-old man with a fascination for vampires and satanism, has been detained under the Mental Health Act. He pleaded guilty to five counts of religiously aggravated harassment and two counts of theft of lambs, occurring between February and August 2025. These offenses saw Lewis place deer heads and slaughtered lambs, often adorned with inverted crosses, at various churches across the New Forest.

During February 2025, incidents at St Theresa's Church in Totton included a deer's head and an inverted cross, followed by a lamb placed on a fixture with another inverted cross. Christ Church in Emery Down and St Peter's Church in Bramshaw also reported similar disturbing acts. A deer's head was found at Christ Church, and a dead lamb with a tarot card at St Peter's. Lewis also targeted Anchor House, a mental health facility.

Forensic psychiatrists diagnosed Lewis with severe autism, OCD, mixed personality disorder, and a mild learning disability. He exhibited "fantastical thinking patterns" and limited insight into his condition. This behavior follows a pattern, with an earlier incident at age 13 involving a dead frog placed on a church cross. Lewis expressed remorse and apologized to his victims, stating he did not want people to worry about him.