Police sergeant stabbed in stomach and left with intestines hanging out, jury told

A man has gone on trial accused of trying to murder a policeman by stabbing him in the stomach with a kitchen knife.

Sergeant Carl Blanks suffered a deep gash to his abdomen and a perforated bowel in the incident and it was only the swift action of colleagues and doctors which saved his life.

Mohammed Ibrahim stands accused of trying to murder the officer at a house in Newport in April last year and is also accused of trying to seriously injure another officer and of setting a fire with the intention of endangering life.

However Swansea Crown Court heard the 34-year-old is unfit to stand a traditional trial and so a jury has the unusual task of determining not his guilt or innocence but whether he committed the alleged acts or not.

Opening proceedings for the prosecution barrister Julia Cox said the case revolved around the events of the early hours of April 23, 2020, at a house of multiple occupation in St Vincent Lane in Newport.

She said police had been called to the address by other occupants who were concerned by Ibrahim’s disruptive behaviour as he had been banging on the door of one of the rooms and shouting about having his internet stolen. It was not the first time police had been called to deal with the defendant.

By the time officers arrived the defendant had retreated to his first-floor room and, despite repeated requests from officers, he refused to come out or to engage with them. The court heard that when officers heard a rustling noise coming from Ibrahim’s room they became concerned for his welfare and the decision was taken to kick the door in.

The barrister said it is the prosecution case that as Sgt Blanks entered the dimly-lit room Ibrahim “lunged” at him with a knife, making “sweeping” and “stabbing” motions with the weapon. One of these moves is said to have resulted in the blade going deep into the sergeant’s abdomen, leaving him with a portion of his intestines poking out of the wound. Miss Cox said officers at the scene activated the emergency buttons on their radios and a Gwent Police area support team, which had been going to a job on the other side of Newport, diverted to the St Vincent Lane after hearing: “The sarge has been stabbed” on the radio.

The prosecution barrister said Sgt Blanks stepped aside and, as Ibrahim’s room quickly filled with smoke from a fire he had started, Sgt Leighton Healan moved in to restrain the defendant. After repeated instructions to thrown down the knife were ignored by the defendant the officer fired his Taser at Ibrahim. The defendant fell backwards into the room and it is the prosecution case that as Sgt Healen went to detain him he thrust the knife at the officer with the blade coming within centimetres of making contact.

The defendant is then said to have come out of his room onto the landing of the house and to have smashed a window. He climbed out through the window but fell onto a roof below. Police officers went after him and with the use of Tasers, pepper spray and batons, were able to subdue and restrain him.

Source: (Wales Online)