Man jailed after '˜vicious' knife attack left Peterborough woman with '˜horrific injuries'

A man has been jailed for nine years after a 'vicious attack on an innocent woman' in Peterborough which left her with serious stab wounds and requiring extensive lifesaving surgery.
JAILED: William RobinsonJAILED: William Robinson
JAILED: William Robinson

William Robinson, 39, of Kilnbrook Avenue, Nottingham, was arrested in May 2014 on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

At about 9am on May 12, 2014, Robinson was driven from his home to Greenham in Bretton, Peterborough, by the victim’s partner. The pair separated before a vicious attack was carried out on the victim, a woman in her early 20s, while her partner and young child were in the next room.

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Robinson rang the doorbell to the flat and, allegedly thinking he was a delivery man, the occupants buzzed him in.

After making demands for money, the woman was attacked with a knife, causing serious lacerations to both her arms, leaving her bleeding heavily on her bed.

During the attack the victim held her arms up, shielding her face, and as a result suffered serious stab and laceration wounds to both her arms and one of her shoulders. She was taken to Peterborough City Hospital (PCH) by her partner and underwent extensive surgery, leaving her with more than 30 stitches in her left arm and 15 in her right.

A short while later a taxi picked up Robinson and drove him to the train station where he boarded a train back up to Nottingham.

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Enquiries by police revealed the victim’s partner’s mobile phone had been in regular communication with another number in the days leading up to the offence. This number lead police to Robinson who was subsequently arrested at his home address in Kilnbrook Avenue, Arnold, Nottingham, three days later on May 15.

During a police search of the area outside the flats in Greenham, a black-handled knife was recovered from a nearby drain.

A black Nike holdall, similar to one seen with Robinson in CCTV footage on the morning of the offence, was found at Robinson’s address with spots of the victim’s blood spattered on it, as well as a block of kitchen knives with one missing, similar to that of the one found disposed down the drain in Peterborough.

Robinson’s co-defendant and partner of the victim, Sandro Carvalho, 26, of Greenham, Bretton, Peterborough, was also arrested in May 2014 after police suspected he was behind the violent attack on his partner.

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The pair denied the charges and went to trial at Cambridge Crown Court in November 2014, however Robinson pleaded guilty to causing GBH mid-trial, in front of the jury. He also admitted to buying a block of knives before the attack.

The trial was adjourned and a re-trial of Carvalho set for May 5, 2015, at Inner London Crown Court.

Carvalho was cleared of the charge after the jury found him not guilty of conspiracy to cause GBH on May 15, 2015, however he was found guilty of perverting the course of justice. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Following the not guilty verdict of Carvalho, Robinson then tried to withdraw his guilty plea. A very lengthy appeal process then followed, however his application was eventually rejected at the Court of Appeal.

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On Thursday (January 12), Robinson appeared at The Old Bailey in London and was sentenced to nine years in prison for causing grievous bodily harm.

The pair also received eight month in prison each after pleading guilty to throwing mobile phones into HMP Lincoln the week before the attack.

Detective Sergeant Graham McMillan, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “This was a vicious attack on an innocent woman who was left with some horrific injuries.

“This has been a very lengthy process, however I hope that Thursday’s conclusion to the case and knowing Robinson will spend a significant amount of time behind bars to pay for what he has done will bring some justice for the victim and her family.”