Heath O’Brien
A man who stabbed another man in the face with a Zulu spear has been jailed for seven years and four months.
Heath O’Brien, 49 and of Bournemouth, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday 15 February. He pleaded guilty at the same court on Friday 20 November 2015 to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, two counts of threats to kill and two of criminal damage.
The court heard that on the evening of Thursday 29 October 2015, the victim returned to his flat to discover an internal door had been smashed up with a sledgehammer. O’Brien was at the scene cleaning up and he apologised claiming he heard voices in his head.
At around 10.40am on Friday 30 October 2015, the victim went downstairs to go out. As he approached the bottom of the stairs, O’Brien charged toward the victim brandishing a spear claiming he was going to kill him.
O’Brien thrust the spear toward the victim. The blade went through the victim’s left cheek and broke some of his teeth.
The victim escaped and locked himself in the lounge of his flat. O’Brien followed and smashed a pain of glass in the door with the spear. He then stabbed the spear through the hole and struck the victim, cutting his nose. A woman who was also in the flat locked herself in the bathroom and was uninjured.
The victim managed to grab the spear from O’Brien but he then threatened to get a knife and kill him and the woman.
Police arrived and arrested O’Brien. O’Brien told police he had an argument with the victims over money and he had a history of depression and alcohol abuse.
Detective Constable Roy Waters, of Bournemouth CID, said: “Heath O’Brien armed himself with a Zulu spear and caused serious injuries to his victim.
“I hope the sentence handed out to O’Brien reiterates that Dorset Police and the courts do not tolerate violent crime and offenders will be dealt with robustly.”
