Thug jailed for stabbing - Hatfield

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CPS Website

WHT- Hatfield/Welham Green man jailed for frenzied knife attack in Hatfield.

A man, who stabbed his sister's ex-partner with a large kitchen carving knife, plunging the knife into his neck and chest was on Wednesday, 6th July, 2016 jailed for 8 years, reduced from 12 years for an early guilty plea.

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Eugene Bruce, aged 45, had gone to the victims Hatfield home in Hertfordshire at around mid- morning in what the victim believed was to talk about Bruce’s problems. But after Bruce had been drinking vodka heavily all morning in the victim's home, Bruce then (in what was described in court as a ‘psychotic episode') stole a large 10 inch carving knife from the victims kitchen draw and attacked his victim in a stabbing frenzy, causing terrible potentially life changing injuries from which the victim is still recovering from today.

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At St Albans Crown Court, Eugene Kenneth Bruce previously of Greville Close, Welham Green, Hatfield Hertfordshire, who was arrested for attempted murder, pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing to a lesser charge of GBH section 18 - wounding with intent, was sentenced to prison.

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During sentencing with Bruce appearing via video link from HMP Bedford, Laura Blackband, prosecuting, told the court how on Tuesday, 15 March 2016 at around 9.00am, Bruce phoned up his victim early that morning who was working from home. Miss Blackband said that on hearing of Bruce's problems relating to his divorce and confusion over solicitor’s letters sent to his sister to recover his belongings, the victim felt sorry for Bruce and agreed to meet him to offer support , inviting him to his home in The Minims, Hatfield for a tea and chat. The victim, unaware of Bruce’s real intentions, even collected Bruce from his home and took him back to his own home stopping on the way so that Bruce could buy a bottle of vodka.

Judge Mark Dennis KC was told that when lunchtime arrived the victim (who had not been drinking alcohol) announced he had to go back to work and went into the hall and put on his jacket while offering Bruce a lift home. In the meantime Bruce had crept into the kitchen and took a 10 inch carving knife from a draw. Upon returning to the kitchen to pick up keys the victim turned round and it was then Bruce saw his opportunity, he suddenly lunged forward and attacked his victim with the knife in what was described in court as an unprovoked sudden frenzied attack while saying the words ‘Die’. 

In the struggle that followed which started in the kitchen and ended in the lounge, smashing furniture along the way, the victim was stabbed in the neck and chest while receiving serious defence knife wounds to his hands as he tried to defend himself and get the knife from Bruce. 

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In a victim impact statement which the victim read in court directy to the offender, the victim said that as he struggled with his attacker he could see the tip of the knife just inches from his neck. He went on: "I told him, Eugene, don't do this and he replied "No die" with a contorted face. I could feel the cold tip of the blade slowly being pushed into my neck." The victim described that while lying on his back in the kitchen with Bruce on top of him and attempting to force the point of the knife further into his neck, the victim managed to keep a hold on the blade stopping Bruce from plunging the knife even further into his neck while eventually flipping bruce over and briefly managing to fight off his attacker. The victim tried to struggle free only for Bruce to grab hold of the victims jacket pulling him to the floor and then resume the attack in the lounge.

Bruce continued trying to stab his victim in the lounge until during the struggle the knife eventually fell to the floor and Bruce cowardly ran from the house closing the front door behind him leaving his victim bleeding semi unconscious on the lounge on the floor and his young pet dog whimpering. However the victim eventually managed to somehow raise the alarm along with the neighbours on the estate. The victim’s wallet and keys were also reported missing after the incident believed to be stolen by Bruce and disposed of however they were never recovered. Police and an air ambulance crew arrived at the victims home to find him laying covered in blood with life changing injuries.

An Armed Police response unit arrived and Bruce was captured not far from his victim’s home. Bruce was then arrested for attempted murder and remanded in custody at Hatfield Maistrates Court..

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The court was told how the victim was air lifted to the Royal London hospital (Whitechapel), placed in an induced coma and spent the next 16 days in hospital undergoing hours of emergency surgery to repair his wounds. Trauma surgeon consultants from the Royal London stated he still has only 50 percent use of his hands and it is likely they will never fully return to how they were. The attack that day also took its toll on the victim psychologically as he is now suffering symtoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).