A man who stabbed a former work colleague 24 times while he slept has been handed a life sentence. Lewis Robinson, 30, brutally attacked and attempted to kill Saiyed Mashhadi in his home in July 2022.
The victim, who suffered severe injuries as part of the attack, survived the ordeal but has life-long effects to deal with due to the attack, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham, delivered the sentence of 18 years minimum term and said. The court heard the two were 'good friends' having previously worked together at a courier company.
Mr Mashhadi had said to have distanced himself from Robinson in early 2022 and found him outside his home on May 21. The court heard Robinson attacked his colleague with repeated punches but fled the scene upon realising a neighbour had seen the assault. Robinson did steal a set of keys in the melee.
He then returned to Mr Mashhadi's property at 3:30am on July 27, as the victim slept, and entered the house, taking a knife from the kitchen and stabbing him over 20 times. He had suffered injuries to his head, eyelids, chest, neck, back and arm after waking up feeling 'soaking wet' and realised he had been attacked.
Mr Mashhadi believed he would die in the attack and tried to scratch Robinson in an attempt to attain his DNA, but could not do so due to his brutal injuries. Judge Altham, talking of a neighbour's security camera, which picked up the sounds of Mr Mashhadi's attack, said: "His injuries were horrific...I suspect the jury or I will never forget that terrible sound".
The victim then made it downstairs and staggered out of his front door, shouting for help as neighbours rushed to help and called emergency services. He was taken to hospital and survived.
"He was in a desperate state, telling officers blood was pouring out of his back," added Judge Altham. Robinson, however, visited a Costa Coffee outlet before returning to a local Premier Inn, where he had booked a room, before changing his clothes which police could not recover.
Mr Mashhadi was not present in court and he opted not to attend to watch his attacker be sentenced, but members of his family watched on as Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, said in a statement on behalf of the victim:
It read: "I have been completely changed as a person, physically and psychologically. I have been unable to go back to work because of what happened.
"I always think people must be judging me, assuming I am a violent person because of the scars I have.
"I feel weak and paranoid about every little thing. I relive the attack every day in my head. When I wake, I feel sick and vomit then I take medication for depression and anxiety. I sometimes feel I should move house to get away from the memories but then I think that is letting the attacker get the better of me."
Robinson did not cooperate with consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Lucy Bacon in order to create a psychiatric report. The doctor noted there was evidence to suggest there were mental health concerns about Robinson in the weeks prior to the attack.
The judge, saying the offence was so serious it warranted a life sentence, concluded: "The defendant has never said why he did this. He has demonstrated no insight. The risk of repetition is clearly very high and will last long into the future."
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