A new mother out on her first night out after giving birth was viciously slashed with a 'zombie knife' by a "berserk" stranger outside a pub. Lauren Foster, 23 was left "shaken" after Joshua Clow, 18 attacked her with the terrifying weapon outside a bar in Northwich last November, Manchester Evening News reports.
The young mum has been left with permanent scars across her back and arm and a four-inch deep wound, which required both external and internal stitches. The 23-year-old initially came into contact with Clow, from Wythenshawe, when he asked her and her pals where he could source some drugs as they stood outside the Revival Bar.
The girls told him to leave them alone and an argument broke out, ending in the thug being taken away by bouncers. But he stood by the front door until Lauren left the premises later that night. The teenager was caught on CCTV running towards Lauren with a 'zombie knife' after she left the bar, slashing her several times on her left arm and back.
Lauren, a cleaner, from Northwich, said: "It all happened so quickly – I didn’t realise what he was doing until it was too late. This was the first time I had been out since having a baby and then this happened. I didn’t know how bad it was until I looked down and I saw the white tissue from inside my arm."
Speaking about his sentence, she said: "I don’t feel as though it was long enough for what I went through. He’ll serve around three years, but I’ll have these scars for life."
She added: "I had no idea who he was, and we told him to leave us alone when he first approached us. I tried to ignore him outside but came running over to us. The bouncer tried to jump in the way be he wasn’t fast enough. I didn’t really notice the pain – I think my adrenaline kicked in. But I instantly saw the blood and thought the worst."
Police and paramedics arrived at the scene following the incident and Lauren was whisked off to North Staffordshire Hospital. She was left with deep cuts, one of which needed internal and external stitches, and has been left with permanent scarring.
Clow, of Brookcot Road in Manchester, was arrested for the attack. In May, he appeared at Chester Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, possession of a bladed article and assault. In mitigation, Ryan Rothwell, defending, said he had a "troubled upbringing" and suffered from mental health problems. He also said his client "lacks maturity".
He added that Clow had showed genuine remorse and had told him: "If I could take it back I would. I want the complainant to know how sorry I am." Clow was sentenced to six years in a young offenders’ institution after the judge said there could have 'easily' been a fatality.
Since the attack, Lauren, who gave birth to her 15-month-old son Jaxon in November 2021, said she has been left "shaken" but has vowed not to let it ruin her life. She said: "I felt as though the sentence could have been longer. The attack has left me mentally scarred as well as physically.
"I needed help to look after my son because I couldn’t move around properly. But I am determined to not let it stop me living my life. I’ve been out on nights out since and trying to get back to normal."
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