Two people jailed after stabbings outside Peterborough primary school

Emergency services were called to Dogsthorpe Road just after 2pm on 6 February with reports that a man in his 20s had been stabbed multiple times.

MORE: Man stabbed ‘multiple times’ in Peterborough street outside primary school

The victim was in his car and had stopped at the pedestrian crossing outside All Saints’ Primary School when a Volvo pulled up behind him.

Zak Miller-Branch, 26, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, got out of the Volvo and ran to either side of the victim’s front doors.

Miller-Branch smashed the driver’s-side window, reached through it and stabbed the man multiple times before running back to the Volvo.

The teenager opened the front passenger door and leant in towards the victim who tried to drive off, but stalled. The teen then stabbed the victim again, multiple times.

Heavily bleeding, the victim got out of the car but the teen managed to get back into the Volvo and it made off.

The school had to be 'locked down'while police worked at the scene, and children were offered counselling following the incident.

MORE: Police visit Peterborough primary school to reassure pupils after stabbing outside front gates

The following day, the Volvo was tracked to the A1 at Wyboston and was intercepted by police who found the teen, Miller-Branch and a woman in the car. All three were arrested in connection with the stabbing the previous afternoon.

Miller-Branch, of Duke’s Road in Greater London, was charged with causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent which he admitted in court.

On Friday (8 January), he appeared at Peterborough Crown Court where he was sentenced to four years in prison.

The 17-year-old boy was also charged with committing GBH with intent and was sentenced at the same court to two years and eight months imprisonment at a Young Offender Institution.

The woman, 21, who was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender has had no action taken against her.

DC Mat Belfitt said: “This incident occurred outside two schools, one being a primary school and the other being for vulnerable children. Parents, carers and children were nearby during the attack, many of whom fled in fear of their safety.

“It was an extremely frightening experience for many people in the community, however I would like to try to provide some reassurance to people that we believe this was not a random attack and the victim was known to the offenders.

“Thankfully no lives were lost this day, but we know from other experiences this could have easily been a very different outcome. Knife crime can have devastating effects, therefore my plea is for anyone who knows someone who carries a knife, to report that information to us – it could save a life.”

The 17-year-old boy was also sentenced for a second stabbing in Dogsthorpe on 6 May last year where a 20-year-old man suffered serious injuries as a result of a single stab wound to his torso.

His accomplice, 18-year-old Joshua Chapman, was sentenced to a two-year youth rehabilitation order in October,

MORE: Teenager sentenced to rehabilitation after stabbing a man in Peterborough