Sixteen Years For Vicious Kitchen Knife Stabbing

A knifeman who attacked a vulnerable middle-aged man he knew – piercing his lung and spleen – has been jailed for 16 years.

Scott Slade, 21, of Yew Tree Gardens, Romford, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, on the 56-year-old victim.

The victim was known to Slade and was considered vulnerable.

At 11.15pm on Sunday, September 9, last year Slade stabbed the victim several times with a kitchen knife at an address in Yew Tree gardens.

He fled the scene, leaving the victim bleeding heavily and warning him that if he told anyone he’d been stabbed he would kill him.

Police and London Ambulance Service were alerted when the victim’s family went to the address ten minutes after the attack.

The victim was taken to an east London hospital as police launched urgent enquiries to trace the suspect.

Slade was located at Rush Green Road, Romford leaving a mini-cab.

He was arrested at 11.50pm still armed with the knife.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard the victim had been stabbed in the chest, arm and back with the knife piercing his stomach, lung, diaphragm and spleen.

This, along with a previously existing lung condition, meant that the victim’s health declined rapidly and he was in an induced coma for several days, followed by two weeks of critical care and the need for ongoing treatment.

Detective Inspector Jason Prendergast of the East Area Command Unit said: “It is only right that Slade will spend a long time in prison, having pleaded guilty to this violent and cowardly attack.

“The victim has not fully recovered and he may not walk unaided again.

“I hope that the lengthy prison sentence that Slade is facing provides the victim and his family with some measure of comfort.”