A DRUG-crazed film producer attempted to break into an idyllic Hampshire farmhouse because he believed he was inside a video game.

High on illegal substances, Alexander Duncan attempted to access the £700,000 New Forest home through its dairy.

The 36-year-old later sparked a 20 minute stand-off when he jumped into a reservoir in an attempt to escape officers – who were backed up by a police helicopter.

While Duncan was in the reservoir, one of the homeowners rowed out in boat to try and rescue him.

Southampton Crown Court heard how the incident, on December 19 last year, took place at East Hill Farm House in Exbury.

Prosecutor Richard Martin told the court that resident John Cox was in bed when he heard a bang and went to investigate in his car.

Along the track he found his bike on its side and got out of the car and left the engine running.

Mr Martin said: “Mr Cox then saw the defendant get into the driver’s side.

“The defendant got out of the car and he [Mr Cox] chased him round the car.

“The defendant fled through the garden and round the back of the house.”

Mr Martin said when Mr Cox next saw the defendant he had a garden fork in his hand.

Mr Martin said: “The defendant asked if he [Mr Cox] had a gun and he felt that if he said he didn’t it would change the dynamic of the situation, so he lied and she he did.

“The defendant then fled through a field of alpacas.”

Mr Martin said Duncan damaged a window during the incident, as well as a door frame from the diary to the house – which had a scorch mark on it.

The court heard Duncan was later spotted by Mr Cox’s neighbour Malcolm Barrow after he got inside their motorhome.

Mr Martin said Duncan broke a window to get out of the motorhome, before fleeing towards a reservoir.

Mr Martin said Mr Barrow, accompanied by the police, used a boat to row out into the reservoir to help Duncan – who was unsuccessfully Tasered before eventually being subdued.

The court heard in a separate incident on the Isle of Wight that Duncan had borrowed a bike, which he returned with hundreds of pounds worth of damage and missing items.

Mitigating for Duncan, Richard Tutt, said his client had suffered a drug induced psychosis.

Mr Tutt said: “He was been struggling with drug addiction. He thought he was in a video game and he was being chased by police.”

Mr Tutt said Duncan had been living a “life of promise” and had studied film production at Bournemouth University.

But he said Duncan’s life went off the rails after a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder and attention deficit disorder and he had turned to drugs – including crystal meth and ketamine.

He added that Duncan had managed to detox while in custody for this offence, was remorseful for his actions, and was being supported by his family and mental health support services.

Duncan, who pleaded guilty to one count of burglary, one count of assault on an emergency worker, one count of breaching a suspended sentence and three counts of criminal damage, was sentenced to a nine month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Duncan, of Furzey Lane, Beaulieu, was also made the subject of a 14 week curfew and ordered to complete 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days.