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Strood man on trial for attempted murder at The Flying Boat Wetherspoon after stabbing

A man went to a Dartford for a drink and ended up fighting for his life after being stabbed four times, a court heard.

Stephen Hooper had been drinking with friends when IT worker Joel Jueanville, the son of a pastor and magistrate, suddenly attacked him from behind, it is alleged.

Mr Hooper was stabbed outside The Flying Boat in Spital Street, Dartford. Picture: Google
Mr Hooper was stabbed outside The Flying Boat in Spital Street, Dartford. Picture: Google

Jueanville, 32, of Frindsbury Road, Strood, was arrested after returning to the same pub carrying the same weapon nine days later and has pleaded not guilty attempted murder.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard how on a sunny day in May last year, the 59-year old victim, who is from Dartford, had walked to The Flying Boat, in Spital Street, arriving at just before 4pm.

He ordered a pint of lager and went back outside to find somewhere to sit and drink his pint and smoke a cigarette.

Prosecutor Charles Evans added: "An eyewitness, Tracey Cook, describes Jueanville walking out of the pub in what she said was a jolly manner.

"He then stood behind Mr Hooper and stared at a woman, Kira Woodcock and her dog for what she says was around a minute. He said nothing and no one said anything to him.

Jueanville is on trial at Maidstone Crown Court
Jueanville is on trial at Maidstone Crown Court

"Then, suddenly, and for no reason that she could see, the defendant punched Mr Hooper about four times to his back, " he alleged.

Ms Woodcock describes him walking off “really casually and slowly without a care in the world”.

Mr Evans added: "Ms Woodcock did not see any weapon, but we know that rather than being punched, Mr. Hooper was actually stabbed four times with a lock knife."

Mr Hooper saw his attacker walking away and realised he did not know the defendant, nor had he ever seen him before, said the prosecutor.

The victim was taken to a London hospital and treated for the stab wounds and has since recovered.

"He tried to kill Mr Hooper, which is another way of saying attempted to murder him..."

Mr Evans added: "The Crown’s case is that the blows were aimed in such a way and to such a part of the body, containing as it does the vital organs and blood vessels, that the natural conclusion is that the defendant wanted him to die.

"He tried to kill Mr Hooper, which is another way of saying attempted to murder him," he claimed.

Mr Hooper said in a statement: "I felt four very hard punches to my back. I felt instant pain, they were seriously hard blows. I reached round to my back with both hands and felt blood."

Jueanville was arrested after returning to pub nine days later, carrying a lock knife which contained Mr Hooper's DNA on its tip.

Mr Evans alleged that Jueanville alleged the knife had been planted on him and denied going to the pub on the day of the attack.

He has denied attempted murder and his defence team, led by Oliver Saxby QC, is expected to raise the defence of insanity.

The trial continues.

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