A PARANOID schizophrenia sufferer has been detained indefinitely in a mental health hospital after sexually touching women on board a GNER train.

Amrinder Dhillon, 30, of no fixed abode, "grabbed and squeezed" a customer service assistant's buttocks as she passed, leaving her "shocked, upset and frightened".

He then sat beside a medical student and placed his hand on her inner thigh, refusing to move it even when male passengers tried to intervene.

Rosemary Ainslie, prosecuting, told York Crown Court yesterday the offences were committed on board the Scotland to London King's Cross GNER train on December 13, last year.

The student was in a window seat with her bags beside her.

Ms Ainslie said: "Dhillon took her luggage off the seat even though other seats were available and placed his hand on top of the inner part of her thigh."

The train was stopped at York.

Mrs Ainslie said the student felt "trapped and imprisoned, worried he was going to attack her" while the assistant was "scared and unnerved by his actions" and had quit her job.

At Bootham Hospital, Dhillon was deemed fit to be interviewed and made full admissions.

He was bailed to a hostel in Dewsbury where, on December 20, at 2.30am Dhillon asked a residential officer for a knife to "cut his nails".

When the officer refused, Dhillon barged passed and tried to stab himself in the neck with a television aerial.

Police were called and found him in his room with a kitchen fork sticking out of his eye and blood pouring down his face.

Dhillon then lunged at the police and a violent struggle ensued before he was restrained and arrested.

He later pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual touching and an offence of affray.

The court heard that two psychiatrists had diagnosed Dhillon as having paranoid schizophrenia.

Dr Damas-Mora, who has been treating him since August said there had been an "escalation of dangerous behaviour". Doctors were uncertain whether he would respond to treatment or comply with treatment once discharged from hospital.

Glenn Parsons, mitigating, said Dhillon felt he was not "in his right mind and was sorry to the ladies involved".

The court heard he had no known previous convictions.

Judge Scott Wolstenholme said: "There's a significant risk of serious physical or psychological harm to members of the public.

"I am satisfied you are suffering from mental illness, namely schizophrenia.

"It is likely you were suffering from schizophrenia at the time and you were not morally responsible for what happened.

"But your behaviour is unpredictable and the public has to be protected from you."

Dhillon was detained indefinitely at Stockton Hall Hospital under the Mental Health Act.