Saucepan attacker gouged eyes of 'peacemaker'

A man who attempted to gouge out the eyes of a "peacemaker" has been sent to prison for seven years.

Nathan Mouatt, 35, knocked the victim to the floor with a saucepan before stabbing him repeatedly in the head at his home in Eccleshill in May last year, Bradford Crown Court heard.

The judge said the victim, a man in his 40s, had visited Mouatt's home following a dispute, offering "an olive branch", but was violently attacked as he tried to escape.

Jailing Mouatt on Friday, Judge Sophie McKone, said: "This was a sustained attack on a man who tried to make peace with you. When he tried to leave in a distraught bloodied state you slashed his car tyres so he couldn't get away."

The court heard Mouatt, who was charged with wounding with intent, assault and criminal damage, had been asleep on the sofa after work when the victim arrived.

Prosecuting, Gareth Moore said Moautt took the man into his kitchen and, after hitting him with a saucepan, attempted to gouge out his eyes with his thumbs as he lay on the floor.

He said Mouatt then stabbed the man with a kitchen knife three times, wounding him in the forehead and eyeball.

Judge McKone said she did not accept defence barrister David Hall's assertion that the incident was "self-defence gone too far".

She said the victim sustained numerous injuries during the assault, including a fractured leg and broken jaw.

Mr Moore said the victim had suffered long-term consequences since the attack, including "pain, trauma, anxiety and multiple surgeries".

He said the man had suffered "grave injuries", adding "the blood loss alone could have been fatal".

Jailing Mouatt, who appeared from prison via video link, Judge McKone said this was a "terrifying brutal and sustained attack, in which your victim thought he would die".

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