Maidstone, U.K. — A man has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison after a violent confrontation involving garden shears left a woman seriously injured. The incident, which occurred at the victim’s residence in East Malling, Kent, on September 14, 2024, escalated from a dispute over a mobile phone to an attempted assault with a catapult and ended with multiple stab wounds inflicted upon the woman.
The assailant, 49-year-old Alan Brook, had been at the victim’s home, where she was taking care of his dog. When an argument broke out over a cellphone, Brook attempted to physically seize the phone and later resorted to using a catapult aimed at her head. The confrontation intensified when the victim tried to escape, prompting Brook to arm himself with a pair of garden shears.
Authorities reported that Brook attacked the woman multiple times with the shears, resulting in severe injuries to her head. Despite her attempts to flee to a neighbor’s house for safety, Brook pursued and continued his assault before eventually fleeing the scene himself.
After the attack, Brook changed his clothes and sought refuge at a relative’s home in Snodland, close to Rochester, where police later apprehended him hiding in a bathroom. The victim was promptly transported to a hospital to treat her numerous injuries.
During the court proceedings at Maidstone Crown Court, Brook pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Further charges of robbery in connection to the disruption over the phone were also addressed by the court.
Reflecting on the case, Detective Sergeant Mark Giles from Kent Police described the attack as “senseless and entirely unprovoked,” emphasizing the severity of the injuries which could have been fatal. Giles remarked on Brook’s history of violent behavior, noting a lack of remorse in his actions.
Alongside the prison sentence, Brook will be subjected to a ten-year restraining order upon release, prohibiting any contact with the victim, to provide her with a measure of security and peace of mind.
The court’s decision brings some measure of closure to a distressing case that highlights the potential for domestic disputes to escalate into extreme violence. The community and local authorities hope that the resolution of this case will deter similar incidents and reinforce the importance of addressing underlying issues that lead to such destructive behavior.