Bradford, U.K. – A man’s attempt to mend fences with the former partner of Nathan Mouatt ended in a horrific assault, culminating in grave injuries and legal ramifications for Mouatt. The incident, which unfolded in Mouatt’s residence in May last year, took a violent turn when he used a kitchen knife to repeatedly stab the victim, who had started a relationship with his ex-partner.
During the altercation, the victim, in an effort to escape, was stabbed several times in his legs. In an attempt to disable him from fleeing the scene, Mouatt punctured the tires of the man’s car. Believing his life was in danger, the severely injured victim made a distressing call to his son, forethinking it could be his last conversation.
Following a trial at Bradford Crown Court, Mouatt, 35, was convicted of wounding and criminal damage. The court learned that the victim approached Mouatt as a peacemaker, intending to extend an olive branch and possibly reconcile their differences.
Prosecutor Gareth Henderson-Moore described the assault as a revenge attack, noting the victim suffered from “grave injuries” that required multiple surgeries. These included the insertion of a metal plate in his jaw and treatment for a permanently damaged eye, amongst other severe injuries acknowledged in court proceedings.
Henderson-Moore emphasized the brutality of the attack, highlighting attempts to gouge the victim’s eyes and multiple stabbings that were not only physically scarring but also psychologically devastating. The victim, now undergoing fortnightly trauma therapy and taking medications for depression and anxiety, has expressed a constant state of high alert and distrust.
Judge Sophie McKone, presiding over the case, remarked on the heinous nature of the assault during sentencing, underscoring that the attack was unprovoked and exceedingly violent, particularly as it was against someone attempting to make peace. She condemned Mouatt’s actions, stating the attack was neither a result of self-defense nor a momentary lapse of judgment but a deliberate and sustained act of violence.
Her Honour sentenced Mouatt to seven years of imprisonment for the wounding, with an additional two years to run concurrently for the criminal damage charges. The sentence stipulated that Mouatt would serve two-thirds of the term before he could be released on license.
In defense, David Hall, representing Mouatt, argued that his client did not premeditate the confrontation and described the event as a frantic scuffle that escalated unexpectedly. He insisted Mouatt had shown remorse and regretted the repercussions of that day.
As the legal proceedings concluded, the community and local authorities were left to grapple with the implications of domestic disputes escalating into violence, substantially impacting all involved parties. The case serves as a grim reminder of how quickly personal confrontations can turn disastrous, stressing the importance of managing personal grievances with legal and professional support rather than taking matters into one’s own hands.