Man jailed for carving knife attack on neighbour

A man who attacked his next door neighbour with a carving knife and threatened to kill him following a long-running feud has been jailed for almost four years.

Philip Sheath, 70, of Hawkins Road, Cambridge, attacked the victim on 14 November when he came to Sheath's house to complain about items being thrown over the fence.

Sheath assaulted the man, in his 60s, with an 18cm (7in) knife, cutting his stomach and causing broken ribs.

He admitted attempted grievous bodily harm and was jailed for 46 months at Peterborough Crown Court on Thursday.

He was also given a 10-year restraining order.

The incident took place after a 20-year family dispute boiled over, Cambridgeshire Police said.

Sheath started throwing items over the garden fence and when his neighbour came to complain, Sheath launched the attack, described by police as "unprovoked".

He thrust the knife so violently the victim fell backwards and hit his head on a concrete path, as Sheath shouted over and over, "I am going to kill you".

Sheath was not able to "fully stab the victim with the blade only going through the outer clothing causing cuts", officers said.

Following the incident, Sheath called 999 saying he had carried out the assault, explained the feud and stayed on the line until police came to arrest him.

Det Sgt Christian Jackman, said: "Although there had been issues between Sheath and the victim's family for multiple years this incident was extremely sudden and unprovoked.

"Sheath showed an extreme amount of violence, and the victim has experienced a terrifying ordeal which will stay with him throughout his life.

"He suffered wounds to his stomach and broken ribs. Thankfully, he survived the attack, but it could so easily have ended very differently."

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