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Euronews
10-06-2025
- Euronews
Surgeon jailed for life in England over attempted murder of colleague
A plastic surgeon in England has been jailed for life for the attempted murder of a colleague, who he stabbed after trying to set his house on fire. Jonathan Peter Brooks, 61, broke into Graeme Perks' home in Nottinghamshire in the early hours of 14 January 2021, wearing camouflage gear and carrying a crowbar, cans of petrol, matches and a knife. Brooks doused the ground floor of the house with petrol, but was interrupted by Perks, 65, before he could set it alight. The surgeon stabbed his recently retired colleague in the abdomen, causing life-threatening injury. Brooks had been subject to disciplinary issues at work, and it was clear that he held a grudge against Perks for his involvement in the process, according to prosecutors. He was convicted in April of two counts of attempted murder, one of attempted arson with intent to endanger life and one count of possession of a bladed article. On Monday, Brooks was given a minimum term of 22 years. "Brooks committed an act of extreme violence, attempting to murder a highly respected colleague," said Samantha Shallow, a deputy chief crown prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service. "This was a planned, calculated attack, in which Brooks showed he was determined to kill his former colleague," she said in a statement. Brooks was sentenced over video link from prison because he had refused to leave his cell. His trial was "extremely unusual" because he was not present throughout and was not represented by a legal team, prosecutors said. Brooks' sentencing followed a four-year series of legal hearings, including a mistrial and several other aborted trial dates. "Justice has now caught up with Brooks," Shallow added. "His victim was fortunate to escape with his life and his whole family were in danger from Brooks' inexplicable actions." In a victim impact statement read to the court, Perks said the attack was an "unimaginable catastrophe" and that it was "ironic that a burns surgeon should wish to immolate our family". "This has been a nightmare for my wife and son who must have wondered if I was going to survive. This has been beyond every struggle in our lives so far," Perks said. Israel's navy said on Tuesday that it attacked docks in Yemen's rebel-held port city of Hodeida, the first time that its naval forces have conducted strikes against the Iran-aligned Houthis. The Houthis announced the attack via their al-Masirah news channel. They said the attack targeted docks in Hodeida, without elaborating. The facilities there are vital for aid shipments to the hungry, war-stricken nation. Since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have repeatedly launched missiles and drones targeting Israel, as well as attacks against commercial ships in what the rebels have described as acts of solidarity with the Palestinians. Late on Monday, Israel issued online warnings to Yemenis to evacuate from Ras Isa, Hodeida and al-Salif ports over the Houthis' alleged use of seaports for attacks. "The port is used to transfer weapons and is a further example of the Houthi terrorist regime's cynical exploitation of civilian infrastructure in order to advance terrorist activities," the Israeli military said in a statement Tuesday. Hodeida is also the main entry point for food and other humanitarian aid for millions of Yemenis since the war began when the Houthis seized Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in 2014. Writing on X on Tuesday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened the Houthis with a naval and air blockade if attacks on Israel continue. "We warned the Houthi terror organization that if they continue to fire at Israel they will face a powerful response and enter a naval and air blockade," he wrote. The majority of the missiles and drones that the Houthis have fired towards Israel have either not hit their targets or been intercepted. Israeli forces have carried several airstrikes in retaliation, including attacks on Saana International Airport. Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion (€876 billion) of goods move through it annually. The Houthis paused attacks in a self-imposed ceasefire until the US launched a broad assault against the rebels in mid-March. However, just before US President Donald Trump began his Middle East trip in mid-May, he paused the attacks, saying the rebels had "capitulated" to Washington's demands. Earlier on Tuesday, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth wrote on X that US Navy ships used passed through the Red Sea and its Bab el-Mandeb Strait "multiple times in recent days" without facing Houthi attacks. It's unclear how the Houthis will respond now that an attack from Israeli has come from the sea, rather than the air. Meanwhile, the wider decade-long war in Yemen between the Houthis and the country's exiled government — backed by a Saudi-led coalition — remains in a stalemate.
The Herald Scotland
09-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Plastic surgeon who attempted to murder fellow doctor is jailed for life
Jailing him at Leicester Crown Court, sitting in Loughborough, on Monday, Judge Mr Justice Pepperall said Brooks had committed 'appalling' crimes after setting off from his home on a 'murderous expedition'. Brooks, who was 'voluntarily absent' from his month-long trial because he was on hunger strike and said he would 'rather be dead than incarcerated', did not appear in person for the sentencing hearing on Monday after refusing to leave his cell. Retired surgeon Graeme Perks pictured leaving Loughborough Magistrates' Court after giving evidence at the trial of Peter Brooks in March (Matthew Cooper/PA) Stephen Leslie KC, defending, said Brooks had said he was too unwell to make the journey to court and instead listened to proceedings via video link from HMP Norwich. Mr Justice Pepperall previously told the court that on 'no fewer than eight occasions' since 2021 Brooks, formerly of Landseer Road, Southwell, had 'used hunger strikes or the threat of some other self-harm to achieve some advantage'. Brooks's convictions followed a four-year series of legal hearings, including a mistrial and seven other aborted trial dates. The consultant, specialising in burns and plastics, was convicted in April of two counts of attempted murder, one for the intended use of fire and the other for the stabbing, attempted arson with intent to endanger life, and possession of a knife in a public place. The bicycle Peter Brooks used to cycle to Graeme Perks's home to stab him (Nottinghamshire Police/PA) The trial was told Brooks had cycled in the snow to Mr Perks's home during a Covid lockdown wearing camouflage gear and armed with a crowbar, petrol, matches and a knife. Mr Perks, a consultant plastic surgeon, had provided evidence in disciplinary proceedings against Brooks, who faced potentially losing his job with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, the jury heard. When opening the prosecution's case, Tracy Ayling KC had told the trial it was 'clear that the defendant hated Graeme Perks' and wanted him 'out of the way'. A container of fuel was inside Peter Brooks's cycle pannier (Nottinghamshire Police/PA) Mr Perks, who was 65 at the time, had retired the month before the attack but suffered 'extremely life-threatening' injuries to his liver, intestines and pancreas, and was given a 95% chance of death. The victim woke up when Brooks smashed through his conservatory, and went downstairs where his feet 'felt a bit damp' from the petrol before he felt a 'blow to his body'. The court was told Brooks had also thrown petrol up the stair walls while Mr Perks's wife Bev and youngest son Henry were sleeping upstairs. The defendant was found asleep on a garden bench later that morning when he was taken to hospital for injuries to his hand, and was arrested. A camouflage suit found after the attack (Nottinghamshire Police/PA) In a victim impact statement read to the court by Ms Ayling, Mr Perks said the incident had been an 'unimaginable catastrophe' for him and his family. He said: 'This has been a nightmare for my wife and son who must have wondered if I was going to survive. 'This has been beyond every struggle in our lives so far.' He added: 'I have no ill-feelings, hatred or bitterness towards my ex-colleague and derive no satisfaction from the guilty conviction. 'It is just another interesting chapter in life, and I wish his family well. 'I remain eternally grateful that it was me, not Bev or Henry who were stabbed, and reflect how ironic that a burns surgeon should wish to immolate our family.' Henry Perks, Mr Perks's son, described Brooks as a 'highly dangerous and remorseless individual' and 'nothing more than a bully', adding: 'He simply has no morals, sees no wrong in his actions and will stop at nothing to hurt those he perceives to have wronged him. 'I have no doubt his failure to silence my father will consume his mind and make him dangerous in the years after his release.' Ms Ayling said Brooks was 'manipulative' and had shown no remorse for what he had done. She said: 'He believes himself to be not guilty of the offences. He believes he has been unlawfully tried. 'He has a history of being manipulative.' Mitigating, Mr Leslie said it was a 'single act of violence' and that there was no pre-planning beyond the day of the attack. He said Brooks had petrol in his garage because he was a motorbike enthusiast and that he is 'beginning to show remorse' for what he had done. He told the court: 'He has done a lot of good in the world for many people. He should be provided with a chance to reform himself. There is still good in him. 'He is now 61, he must have the opportunity of coming out in his lifetime to return to society and be given the opportunity to carry out the good work he has demonstrated.' Matches and a lighter were also found in Peter Brooks's bike pannier (Nottinghamshire Police/PA) Mr Justice Pepperall said Brooks must serve a minimum of 22 years, with time spent in prison already taking that to 17 years and 223 days, for the two counts of attempted murder. A sentence of six years for arson and 18 months for possessing a knife are to run concurrently. The judge said Brooks, who specialised in treating burns, would have known the significant damage setting a fire would have caused, as well as how badly Mr Perks would have been injured when he stabbed him. He said: 'You must have had substantial professional experience of treating those who have suffered appalling and painful burns, and yet you attempted to set a fire in the middle of the night, intending to kill your former colleague and to endanger the lives of any other occupants as they lay sleeping in their beds. 'Further, you were a trained surgeon, and yet you plunged a knife into your colleague's body, passing through his liver, his pancreas, his duodenum and his inferior vena cava with the same murderous intent.' He said Brooks was 'fixated' on employment difficulties he was facing and blamed Mr Perks for his troubles. He said: 'Your key demand in negotiations to resolve your employment issues was that Mr Perks should be required to leave the (hospital) trust. 'Upon that evidence and your extreme actions on the night of January 14 2021, I am sure that your simmering sense of grievance towards Mr Perks developed into deep anger.' He added: 'There is evidence that your life was falling apart in January 2021. Your employment difficulties were coming to a head and you anticipated that the disciplinary hearing that opened earlier that week was likely to lead to your dismissal, the loss of your home and the breakdown of your marriage. 'While not mentally ill, you were under very significant pressure. In my judgement, your anger at the perceived injustice and hopelessness of your situation led to this explosion of very serious violence.' Mr Justice Pepperall said he could not be sure whether Brooks had spent more than a few hours before breaking into Mr Perks's house planning the 'murderous expedition' and despite Brooks's claims he had acted in self-defence when confronted by Mr Perks, the judge said he was sure that the defendant was the 'sole aggressor'. He also said he could not detect any remorse for what he had done, adding: 'But rather, a fixed view that you were hounded out of your employment by what you describe as the 'medical mafia' and self-pity at the situation in which you now find yourself.' In a statement after Brooks was sentenced, Sam Shallow from the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'Peter Brooks committed an act of extreme violence, attempting to murder a highly respected colleague. 'This was a planned, calculated attack, in which Brooks showed he was determined to kill his former colleague. 'Since committing these atrocious acts, Brooks has sought to evade responsibility. He has requested late adjournments, dispensed with his legal team, and used his health to avoid proper progress of the court proceedings. 'On each of the nine occasions the case has been listed at court, the prosecution team has been ready. 'Justice has now caught up with Brooks. 'His victim was fortunate to escape with his life and his whole family were in danger from Brooks's inexplicable actions. 'Despite the physical and emotional trauma they have endured, they have come to court to tell their story on two separate occasions. 'This has been a long process for them, but I hope that finally seeing these proceedings coming to a close will help them in their recovery from this ordeal.'
Powys County Times
09-06-2025
- Powys County Times
Plastic surgeon who attempted to murder fellow doctor is jailed for life
A plastic surgeon who stabbed a fellow doctor after trying to set fire to his house because he wanted him 'out of the way' has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years. Peter Brooks, 61, knifed Graeme Perks and doused the ground floor of his house with petrol with intent to set it on fire after cycling to the property in Halam, near Southwell, Nottinghamshire, in the early hours of January 14 2021. Jailing him at Leicester Crown Court, sitting in Loughborough, on Monday, Judge Mr Justice Pepperall said Brooks had committed 'appalling' crimes after setting off from his home on a 'murderous expedition'. Brooks, who was 'voluntarily absent' from his month-long trial because he was on hunger strike and said he would 'rather be dead than incarcerated', did not appear in person for the sentencing hearing on Monday after refusing to leave his cell. Stephen Leslie KC, defending, said Brooks had said he was too unwell to make the journey to court and instead listened to proceedings via video link from HMP Norwich. Mr Justice Pepperall previously told the court that on 'no fewer than eight occasions' since 2021 Brooks, formerly of Landseer Road, Southwell, had 'used hunger strikes or the threat of some other self-harm to achieve some advantage'. Brooks's convictions followed a four-year series of legal hearings, including a mistrial and seven other aborted trial dates. The consultant, specialising in burns and plastics, was convicted in April of two counts of attempted murder, one for the intended use of fire and the other for the stabbing, attempted arson with intent to endanger life, and possession of a knife in a public place. The trial was told Brooks had cycled in the snow to Mr Perks's home during a Covid lockdown wearing camouflage gear and armed with a crowbar, petrol, matches and a knife. Mr Perks, a consultant plastic surgeon, had provided evidence in disciplinary proceedings against Brooks, who faced potentially losing his job with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, the jury heard. When opening the prosecution's case, Tracy Ayling KC had told the trial it was 'clear that the defendant hated Graeme Perks' and wanted him 'out of the way'. Mr Perks, who was 65 at the time, had retired the month before the attack but suffered 'extremely life-threatening' injuries to his liver, intestines and pancreas, and was given a 95% chance of death. The victim woke up when Brooks smashed through his conservatory, and went downstairs where his feet 'felt a bit damp' from the petrol before he felt a 'blow to his body'. The court was told Brooks had also thrown petrol up the stair walls while Mr Perks's wife Bev and youngest son Henry were sleeping upstairs. The defendant was found asleep on a garden bench later that morning when he was taken to hospital for injuries to his hand, and was arrested. In a victim impact statement read to the court by Ms Ayling, Mr Perks said the incident had been an 'unimaginable catastrophe' for him and his family. He said: 'This has been a nightmare for my wife and son who must have wondered if I was going to survive. 'This has been beyond every struggle in our lives so far.' He added: 'I have no ill-feelings, hatred or bitterness towards my ex-colleague and derive no satisfaction from the guilty conviction. 'It is just another interesting chapter in life, and I wish his family well. 'I remain eternally grateful that it was me, not Bev or Henry who were stabbed, and reflect how ironic that a burns surgeon should wish to immolate our family.' Henry Perks, Mr Perks's son, described Brooks as a 'highly dangerous and remorseless individual' and 'nothing more than a bully', adding: 'He simply has no morals, sees no wrong in his actions and will stop at nothing to hurt those he perceives to have wronged him. 'I have no doubt his failure to silence my father will consume his mind and make him dangerous in the years after his release.' Ms Ayling said Brooks was 'manipulative' and had shown no remorse for what he had done. She said: 'He believes himself to be not guilty of the offences. He believes he has been unlawfully tried. 'He has a history of being manipulative.' Mitigating, Mr Leslie said it was a 'single act of violence' and that there was no pre-planning beyond the day of the attack. He said Brooks had petrol in his garage because he was a motorbike enthusiast and that he is 'beginning to show remorse' for what he had done. He told the court: 'He has done a lot of good in the world for many people. He should be provided with a chance to reform himself. There is still good in him. 'He is now 61, he must have the opportunity of coming out in his lifetime to return to society and be given the opportunity to carry out the good work he has demonstrated.' Mr Justice Pepperall said Brooks must serve a minimum of 22 years, with time spent in prison already taking that to 17 years and 223 days, for the two counts of attempted murder. A sentence of six years for arson and 18 months for possessing a knife are to run concurrently. The judge said Brooks, who specialised in treating burns, would have known the significant damage setting a fire would have caused, as well as how badly Mr Perks would have been injured when he stabbed him. He said: 'You must have had substantial professional experience of treating those who have suffered appalling and painful burns, and yet you attempted to set a fire in the middle of the night, intending to kill your former colleague and to endanger the lives of any other occupants as they lay sleeping in their beds. 'Further, you were a trained surgeon, and yet you plunged a knife into your colleague's body, passing through his liver, his pancreas, his duodenum and his inferior vena cava with the same murderous intent.' He said Brooks was 'fixated' on employment difficulties he was facing and blamed Mr Perks for his troubles. He said: 'Your key demand in negotiations to resolve your employment issues was that Mr Perks should be required to leave the (hospital) trust. 'Upon that evidence and your extreme actions on the night of January 14 2021, I am sure that your simmering sense of grievance towards Mr Perks developed into deep anger.' He added: 'There is evidence that your life was falling apart in January 2021. Your employment difficulties were coming to a head and you anticipated that the disciplinary hearing that opened earlier that week was likely to lead to your dismissal, the loss of your home and the breakdown of your marriage. 'While not mentally ill, you were under very significant pressure. In my judgement, your anger at the perceived injustice and hopelessness of your situation led to this explosion of very serious violence.' Mr Justice Pepperall said he could not be sure whether Brooks had spent more than a few hours before breaking into Mr Perks's house planning the 'murderous expedition' and despite Brooks's claims he had acted in self-defence when confronted by Mr Perks, the judge said he was sure that the defendant was the 'sole aggressor'. He also said he could not detect any remorse for what he had done, adding: 'But rather, a fixed view that you were hounded out of your employment by what you describe as the 'medical mafia' and self-pity at the situation in which you now find yourself.' In a statement after Brooks was sentenced, Sam Shallow from the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'Peter Brooks committed an act of extreme violence, attempting to murder a highly respected colleague. 'This was a planned, calculated attack, in which Brooks showed he was determined to kill his former colleague. 'Since committing these atrocious acts, Brooks has sought to evade responsibility. He has requested late adjournments, dispensed with his legal team, and used his health to avoid proper progress of the court proceedings. 'On each of the nine occasions the case has been listed at court, the prosecution team has been ready. 'Justice has now caught up with Brooks. 'His victim was fortunate to escape with his life and his whole family were in danger from Brooks's inexplicable actions. 'Despite the physical and emotional trauma they have endured, they have come to court to tell their story on two separate occasions. 'This has been a long process for them, but I hope that finally seeing these proceedings coming to a close will help them in their recovery from this ordeal.'
Belfast Telegraph
09-06-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Plastic surgeon who attempted to murder fellow doctor is jailed for life
Peter Brooks, 61, knifed Graeme Perks and doused the ground floor of his house with petrol with intent to set it on fire after cycling to the property in Halam, near Southwell, Nottinghamshire, in the early hours of January 14 2021. Jailing him at Leicester Crown Court, sitting in Loughborough, on Monday, Judge Mr Justice Pepperall said Brooks had committed 'appalling' crimes after setting off from his home on a 'murderous expedition'. Brooks, who was 'voluntarily absent' from his month-long trial because he was on hunger strike and said he would 'rather be dead than incarcerated', did not appear in person for the sentencing hearing on Monday after refusing to leave his cell. Stephen Leslie KC, defending, said Brooks had said he was too unwell to make the journey to court and instead listened to proceedings via video link from HMP Norwich. Mr Justice Pepperall previously told the court that on 'no fewer than eight occasions' since 2021 Brooks, formerly of Landseer Road, Southwell, had 'used hunger strikes or the threat of some other self-harm to achieve some advantage'. Brooks' convictions followed a four-year series of legal hearings, including a mistrial and seven other aborted trial dates. The consultant, specialising in burns and plastics, was convicted in April of two counts of attempted murder, one for the intended use of fire and the other for the stabbing, attempted arson with intent to endanger life, and possession of a knife in a public place. The trial was told Brooks had cycled in the snow to Mr Perks' home during a Covid lockdown wearing camouflage gear and armed with a crowbar, petrol, matches and a knife. Mr Perks, a consultant plastic surgeon, had provided evidence in disciplinary proceedings against Brooks, who faced potentially losing his job with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, the jury heard. When opening the prosecution's case, Tracy Ayling KC had told the trial it was 'clear that the defendant hated Graeme Perks' and wanted him 'out of the way'. Mr Perks, who was 65 at the time, had retired the month before the attack but suffered 'extremely life-threatening' injuries to his liver, intestines and pancreas, and was given a 95% chance of death. The victim woke up when Brooks smashed through his conservatory, and went downstairs where his feet 'felt a bit damp' from the petrol before he felt a 'blow to his body'. The court was told Brooks had also thrown petrol up the stair walls while Mr Perks' wife Bev and youngest son Henry were sleeping upstairs. The defendant was found asleep on a garden bench later that morning when he was taken to hospital for injuries to his hand, and was arrested. In a victim impact statement read to the court by Ms Ayling, Mr Perks said the incident had been an 'unimaginable catastrophe' for him and his family. He said: 'This has been a nightmare for my wife and son who must have wondered if I was going to survive. 'This has been beyond every struggle in our lives so far.' He added: 'I have no ill-feelings, hatred or bitterness towards my ex-colleague and derive no satisfaction from the guilty conviction. 'It is just another interesting chapter in life, and I wish his family well. 'I remain eternally grateful that it was me, not Bev or Henry who were stabbed, and reflect how ironic that a burns surgeon should wish to immolate our family.' Henry Perks, Mr Perks' son, described Brooks as a 'highly dangerous and remorseless individual' and 'nothing more than a bully', adding: 'He simply has no morals, sees no wrong in his actions and will stop at nothing to hurt those he perceives to have wronged him. 'I have no doubt his failure to silence my father will consume his mind and make him dangerous in the years after his release.' Ms Ayling said Brooks was 'manipulative' and had shown no remorse for what he had done. She said: 'He believes himself to be not guilty of the offences. He believes he has been unlawfully tried. 'He has a history of being manipulative.' Mitigating, Mr Leslie said it was a 'single act of violence' and that there was no pre-planning beyond the day of the attack. He said Brooks had petrol in his garage because he was a motorbike enthusiast and that he is 'beginning to show remorse' for what he had done. He told the court: 'He has done a lot of good in the world for many people. He should be provided with a chance to reform himself. There is still good in him. 'He is now 61, he must have the opportunity of coming out in his lifetime to return to society and be given the opportunity to carry out the good work he has demonstrated.' Mr Justice Pepperall said Brooks must serve a minimum of 22 years, with time spent in prison already taking that to 17 years and 223 days, for the two counts of attempted murder. A sentence of six years for arson and 18 months for possessing a knife are to run concurrently. The judge said Brooks, who specialised in treating burns, would have known the significant damage setting a fire would have caused as well as how badly Mr Perks would have been injured when he plunged a knife into him. He said Brooks was 'fixated' on employment difficulties he was facing and blamed Mr Perks for his troubles, with his 'sense of grievance developing into deep anger' as he faced losing his career and his home. Mr Justice Pepperall said he could not be sure whether Brooks had spent more than a few hours before breaking into Mr Perks' house planning the 'murderous expedition' and despite Brooks' claims he had acted in self-defence when confronted by Mr Perks, the judge said he was sure that the defendant was the 'sole aggressor'. He also said he could not detect any remorse for what he had done, and instead that Brooks felt 'self-pity for the situation you find yourself in'. In a statement after Brooks was sentenced, Sam Shallow from the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'Peter Brooks committed an act of extreme violence, attempting to murder a highly respected colleague. 'This was a planned, calculated attack, in which Brooks showed he was determined to kill his former colleague. 'Since committing these atrocious acts, Brooks has sought to evade responsibility. He has requested late adjournments, dispensed with his legal team, and used his health to avoid proper progress of the court proceedings. 'On each of the nine occasions the case has been listed at court, the prosecution team has been ready. 'Justice has now caught up with Brooks. 'His victim was fortunate to escape with his life and his whole family were in danger from Brooks's inexplicable actions. 'Despite the physical and emotional trauma they have endured, they have come to court to tell their story on two separate occasions. 'This has been a long process for them, but I hope that finally seeing these proceedings coming to a close will help them in their recovery from this ordeal.'
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
Plastic surgeon jailed for trying to kill colleague
A plastic surgeon has been jailed for life for attempting to murder a colleague he wanted "out of the way" because he was a witness against him in disciplinary proceedings. Jonathan Peter Brooks broke into Graeme Perks's home in Halam, Nottinghamshire, in the early hours of 14 January 2021, wearing camouflage gear and armed with a crowbar, cans of petrol, matches and a knife. A trial in Loughborough heard Mr Perks had a "95% chance of dying" after being stabbed by Brooks. Brooks, who was convicted of attempted murder, attempted arson with intent to endanger life and possession of a bladed article, was told he would serve at least 22 years in prison. On the night of the attack, Brooks smashed conservatory doors and doused the ground floor of the house with petrol, intending to set it on fire. Mr Perks, a consultant plastic surgeon who had recently retired, was woken by the break-in and initially mistook the defendant for his son, before Brooks stabbed him in the abdomen. The trial previously heard Mr Perks's injuries were "of the most serious type", and included a bleeding liver, injuries to the pancreas and bowel, and an "extremely life-threatening injury" to the back of the abdomen. Brooks appeared via video-link from HMP Norwich after refusing to attend the court in person, having claimed he had a bedsore that meant he would be unable to sit for long periods. The judge said he was informed Brooks was physically fit to attend, and there was no reason he could not. Throughout the hearing, Brooks moved around in his room, occasionally standing from his wheelchair. He was sitting looking towards the camera as his sentence was handed down. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
