Ex-Para Jailed For Stabbing Man In Military-Style Knife Ambush

A former British paratrooper has been jailed for stabbing a man in a military-style knife ambush.

Richard Grant, 46, was found guilty of wounding with intent at Exeter Crown Court, although he was cleared of the more serious offence of attempted murder.

He was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison.

He had attacked victim Alex Pierce with a commando knife earlier this year, after lying in wait having planted a tracking device on his car.

Mr Justice Dingemans is quoted as saying by Devon Live: "It is quite clear you planned to go and attack Mr Pierce.

"After a day at home you have gone out at night disguised with your hoody up. You laid in wait and forced open the door of the car and used a knife to stab Mr Pierce to the side of the chest, in the upper thigh and bicep.

"He also sustained defensive wounds to his hand. I accept it was between five and 15 blows.

The judge said Grant had become 'obsessed' with Mr Pierce after starting a relationship with his former partner, with the trial told his actions were those of a 'misguided vigilante'.

He began monitoring his victim's movements up to eight times a day, believing Mr Pierce had mistreated his former partner and her family.

Grant convinced himself that Mr Pierce was a threat to his new family and fitted a magnetic tracking device to his car, which was used 157 times in the 17 days before the attack to track his movements. 

Mr Justice Dingemans said:

"I am sure this was a sustained and repeated assault and you landed punches in order to increase the wounds to Mr Pierce. I am also sure there was a significant amount of pre-meditation, as apparent with the use of the tracker, the use of the disguise and taking a weapon to the scene."

A former soldier in the Parachute Regiment, Grant claimed to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his service in eight tours of Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

He attacked his victim when he thought was he alone.

Mr Pierce's new girlfriend Emma Watkiss was in the passenger seat, however, who caused residents to rush to help after screaming out.

Grant claimed he had only wanted to confront his victim and make him admit to the way he had treated his partner, but took a knife with him and had a collection of items in a car nearby including a tyre lever, lighter fluid and matches, cable ties, a sheath knife, knotted tights, and a razor blade.

There was also a small amount of cocaine in a box. Grant claimed he used all of them for his job as a tree surgeon.

He was found by police after fleeing and hiding 20 feet up a tree in the grounds of Exeter University.

Mr Pierce told the court of his terror after being confronted by Grant as he and his girlfriend arrived back from celebrating her birthday with her family.

He said:

"There was no doubt in my mind he was going to kill me. If my girlfriend had not been there and screaming for help I have no doubt he would have continued until he achieved his objective."

"A series of things went wrong for him that night which resulted in me surviving. He came back with the knife to finish the job and was trying to get back into the car.

"By this time every light was on in the street and a lot of people were coming out into the road. He had to run off or he would have been caught with a knife in his hand.

"I got out of the car and asked for someone to help me because I was bleeding out. A neighbour took me in gave me first aid. I can't thank her enough."

The attack left Mr Pierce needing treatment for stab wounds to his chest, thigh and arm.

He also had serious cuts on his hand where he had tried to wrestle the knife off Grant.

The court case also led to Mr Pierce splitting up from Miss Watkiss, after he confessed he had slept with his ex-partner once while he was with her.

Grant had claimed Miss Watkiss carried out the attack, but his account was denied by everyone else at the scene.

Mitigating, Nicolas Gerasimidis said Grant had been in 'emotional turmoil' at the time and acted out of a misguided sense of injustice.

He added that the veteran was a man of good character who had no relevant previous convictions, while Grant described himself as an 'armadillo', who was hard on the outside but soft inside.

Mr Justice Dingemans accepted he was not a danger to the public, and that the crime had come from the unusual circumstances of the case.