By ‘Dangerous’ knifeman served life in prison
A man who stabbed a random stranger in the back with a knife during terrifying attacks has been sentenced to life in prison.
Danny Whewell carried out the attacks on September 8 this year, as he first approached a man in a Tesco car park on Kennedy Way, Immingham at 2:30pm.
The 31-year-old admitted one count of wounding with intent and one count of threatening with a bladed article.
He was seen on CCTV “swinging” the knife “just inches away” from the victim, who ran away before Whewell chased after him.
Passersby alerted the Tesco security staff who then called the police.
Whewell fled to the nearby Pelham Hotel in Washdyke Lane and entered the kitchen, where he armed himself with more knives.
As he entered the bar he came across his second victim, who was drinking and watching Sky Sports with friends.
Weiding a 12 to 15 inch blade, he then approached the vicitim from behind and stabbed him in the back, telling him ‘and you can shut up.’
Armed response units from Humberside Police arrived at the pub at 2.49pm and arrested Whewell. The victim was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary to be treated for a 4cm (1.5in) wound to his back near his right shoulder.
In a statement read out to the court, the victim wrote: “I’ve suffered with sleeping due to some discomfort when I lay down and I have a scar on my shoulder. I feel anxious and uneasy, especially when someone is behind me. It is something I will never forget.”
The court heard how Whewell suffers with a severe personality disorder which causes him to experience psychosis when he does not take his medication.
It was also heard how Whewell stabbed another man behind the ear in a previous incident in 2014 and currently has 26 previous convictions for 53 offences.
Sentencing Whewell, Judge Michael Fanning KC said: “You are 31 and you have been coming before the courts for half of your life now. You did not have any grudge against the first victim, it was simply a random attack on a randomly selected member of the public.
“I can only imagine the unease of [the group in the pub] watching you with the knives in your hands. Without any warning you lunged at him and stabbed him in the back. Had [the knife] pierced his ribs or his spine the injuries could have been catastrophic. You intended to cause serious harm when you stabbed him.
“It is when you don’t take your medication that the problems arise. You made a choice not to take your medication and you are well aware of the risk of making that choice. You prefer taking drugs and alcohol instead of taking your medication. You are dangerous. It is only a matter of time before the harm you cause could be very serious.”
Whewell was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of release in four years’ time.
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