A surgeon has been convicted of the tried homicide of a fellow physician, after he broke into his home, doused the bottom flooring in petrol and stabbed his sufferer, who he wished “out of the way”.
The plastic surgeon Peter Brooks, 61, was convicted of two counts of tried homicide, tried arson with intent to hazard life and possession of a knife in a public place after the assault on former colleague Graeme Perks within the early hours of 14 January 2021.
Brooks was “voluntarily absent” from his month-long trial as a result of he was on starvation strike, it will possibly now be revealed, having stated he would “rather be dead than incarcerated”. He additionally sacked his authorized staff earlier than the trial and was unrepresented within the case.
Jurors at Loughborough crown courtroom deliberated for greater than 12 hours earlier than discovering Brooks responsible of all the costs in opposition to him.
The courtroom heard how the surgeon, who specialised in burns and plastics, cycled by the snow to Mr Perks’ residence in Halam, close to Southwell, Nottinghamshire, within the early hours of the morning, throughout a Covid lockdown, wearing camouflage gear and armed with a crowbar, petrol, matches and a knife.
The courtroom heard that Perks, a advisor plastic surgeon, had offered proof in disciplinary proceedings in opposition to Brooks, who confronted probably dropping his job with Nottingham College hospitals NHS belief.
Tracy Ayling KC, prosecuting, informed the courtroom it was “clear that the defendant hated Graeme Perks” and wished him “out of the way”. The courtroom heard that Perks, who was 65 on the time, and had retired the month earlier than the assault, suffered “extremely life-threatening” accidents to his liver, intestines and pancreas, and was given a 95% probability of loss of life.
He had woken up when Brooks smashed by his conservatory, and when he went downstairs, his ft “felt a bit damp” from the petrol, earlier than he felt a “blow to his body”, the jury heard.
The jury was informed that Brooks had additionally thrown petrol up the stair partitions whereas his sufferer’s spouse and youngest son had been asleep upstairs.
The attacker was discovered asleep on a backyard bench later that morning, and was arrested after he was taken to hospital for accidents to his hand.
The convictions adopted 4 years of authorized hearings, which included a mistrial and 7 different aborted trial dates. His first trial, in July 2022, was adjourned as a result of he was affected by a medical complication of radiotherapy, which required surgical procedure.
Brooks had put ahead quite a few doable defences, together with self-defence and lack of intent, however by no means gave proof on to a jury.
The decide thanked jurors for his or her service in “particularly unusual circumstances” and excused them from jury service for 5 years.
Manjeet Shehmar, the medical director at Nottingham College hospitals NHS belief, stated following the verdicts: “We have been following the case of Mr Brooks closely and respect the decision made in court today.”
“We would like to offer our sympathies to those who were affected by Mr Brooks’ actions, including Mr Perks and his family, and other colleagues from within the trust.”
