A once respected care worker who launched a sudden unprovoked attack on an old friend using punches, kicks and a claw hammer has been jailed for 10 years after admitting attempted murder.
Swansea Crown Court heard David Kelso-Mitchell, 56, who had no previous convictions and who worked with vulnerable adults, inflicted what Judge Paul Thomas QC called “stomach churning injuries” on his former work colleague and friend Christopher Bibb, 47, who had travelled to South Wales to meet Kelso-Mitchell after he contacted him on social media.
John Hipkin, prosecuting, said last September Mr Bibb, an IT consultant, and Kelso-Mitchell drank beer at a pub then went back to Kelso-Mitchell’s home in Briton Ferry Road,Briton Ferry, Neath, where they drank whiskey and talked.
Defendant laughed during attack
Mr Hipkin said:”While Mr Bibb was in a chair he was suddenly attacked by the defendant. It began with a blow, likely to have been a kick, to the eye and it was followed by a second blow in quick succession which immediately clouded the vision in his eyes.
“He was then hit by a claw hammer which caused him to fall out of his chair. He was then struck to the head on a number of occasions with the hammer, Mr Bibb recalling the blows were ‘selective and focused on his head.’”
The court heard Mr Bibb, his hands and face covered in blood, shouted: “What are you doing, David?”.
Mr Bibb said he remembered Kelso-Mitchell laughing or giggling at this point then the defendant straddled him and rained down punches.
'Stay still, it'll be quicker for both of us'
Mr Hipkin said: “Mr Bibb cried out ‘What are you doing, you’re killing me.’”
The court heard Kelso-Mitchell replied: “Stay still, it’ll be quicker for both of us.”
Mr Hipkin continued: “Mr Bibb thought he was going to die and the defendant put his hand around his throat, Mr Bibb tensing his neck so he could breathe. He then placed both of his thumbs in the defendant’s eyes, making him desist.”
Mr Bibb ran out through the front door and flagged down a passing motorist.
The prosecutor said a South Wales Police officer and a paramedic called to the scene said Mr Bibb had suffered “the worst injuries they had seen on duty”.
Mr Bibb was taken to Swansea’s Morriston Hospital where A&E consultant Mike McCabesaid he had “massive swelling” to the forehead area particularly over the eyes, cuts, bruising, a scalp wound to the back of the head and at least four semi-circular hammer wounds to the forehead.
He added Mr Bibb suffered a fracture to one of the bones in his neck and it was only “fortune” that it was not immediately life threatening.
Mr Hipkin said at first doctors thought surgery might have been needed but Mr Bibb was able to leave hospital within a few days but was left with scarring to his forehead and weakness in one of his hands and is still off work now, around six months after the incident.
'A wholly unprovoked, ferocious and sustained attack'
Mr Hipkin said during their conversation, Kelso-Mitchell had mentioned his concern about a former wife being unfaithful to him but he said any jealousy concerning Mr Bibb was “misplaced”.
Judge Thomas told Kelso-Mitchell, who offered no explanation for his actions: “You launched a wholly unprovoked, ferocious and sustained attack on a man you described as a friend and ex-colleague.”
He also told Kelso-Mitchell, who has agreed he can no longer drink alcohol, it would probably “remain a mystery” as to why the attack was carried out.
A psychiatric report showed Kelso-Mitchell had suffered mood problems and depression previously but there was no indication of violence.
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/former-carer-jailed-10-years-11049463
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