Chatham man Nathan Slade tried to kill friend after Samurai sword prank, court told
by Keith Hunt
A man suffered serious injuries after a prank involving Samurai
swords boiled over into violence at a Medway flat, a court
heard.
Nathan Slade is said to have grabbed a knife from his kitchen
and tried to kill Graham Winder by stabbing him in the stomach and
shoulder blades.
Mr Winder, 26, was taken to hospital with his small bowel
protruding from his abdomen and a collapsed lung.
"Nathan Slade attempted to kill Graham Winder by repeatedly
stabbing him," said Deborah Charles, prosecuting. "He
succeeded to the extent Mr Winder suffered very serious
injuries."
A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard Mr Winder had been at the
third floor flat at Wellington Court in Bryant Street, Chatham,
with friends Nick Bennett and his girlfriend Kirsty Deakins on
August 4 last year.
During the evening, Mr Bennett and Mr Winder texted each other
and were laughing. They eventually fell asleep and Slade, 22,
touched Miss Deakins' thigh.
When Mr Bennett and Mr Winder awoke, they discovered what had
happened and told Slade "in no uncertain terms" he should not have
done it.
"They were talking about cutting his fingers off and feeding him to the pigs..." – Deborah Charles, prosecuting
"On anyone's view, they began to behave idiotically," said Miss
Charles. "They were smiling."
Mr Bennett and Mr Winder grabbed two Samurai swords (similar
to one pictured above) Slade had in the flat and teased
him, asking what they should do with him.
"They were talking about cutting his fingers off and feeding him
to the pigs," said the prosecutor. "They were obviously joking.
They didn't touch him with the swords."
But because Slade suffered form Asperger's syndrome, a form of
autism, he might have taken it more seriously, he said.
Mr Bennett left the flat for a phone call and Mr Winder put the
swords back in the corner. But Slade went to the kitchen and
grabbed a knife.
"He charged at Mr Winder, holding the knife above his head,"
said Miss Charles. "Mr Winder was by the patio doors but there was
no way out.
"Mr Slade stabbed him multiple times. There were three wounds,
but he admitted stabbing him four times. It may be the knife went
into the same place more than once."
Nathan Slade is on trial
at Maidstone Crown Court
Miss Deakins ran to the bathroom and locked herself in.
"It was probably then Mr Slade stabbed Mr Winder in the back,
two wounds to the shoulder blades," said the prosecutor.
Miss Deakins called 999. Mr Bennett's mother arrived and found
Mr Winder lying in a pool of blood.
The victim was taken to hospital and given surgery for his
injuries. He was on a ventilator for two days and not discharged
for two weeks.
Slade, now of Luton Road, Chatham, denies attempted murder and
an alternative charge of wounding with intent.
22/01/13
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