Plastic surgeon tried to kill colleague, jury told

A integrative surgeon broke into the location of workfellow earlier pouring a "highly flammable liquid" implicit the level and stabbing him, a proceedings has heard.

Jonathan Peter Brooks is accused of attacking Graeme Perks astatine his location successful Halam, Nottinghamshire, connected 14 January 2021.

A proceedings astatine a tribunal successful Loughborough was told Dr Brooks "hated" Mr Perks, who was a witnesser successful disciplinary hearings against him.

The 61-year-old has denied 2 counts of attempted murder, 1 of attempted arson with intent to endanger beingness and 1 number of possession of a bladed article.

The tribunal heard the suspect - who contempt being a surgeon had asked to beryllium referred to arsenic Dr Brooks, against accustomed conventions - is simply a advisor surgeon with a specialisation successful burns and plastics, and was a workfellow of Mr Perks.

Tracy Ayling KC, opening the prosecution, said helium near his location connected his bicycle "in the aboriginal hours of a acold snowy morning" and went to his colleague's home.

"The suspect was dressed successful afloat camouflage jacket, trousers and hat," she said.

"He had a caput torch. He got connected his motorcycle equipped with a crowbar, cans of petrol, matches and a knife.

"His volition was, accidental the Crown, to interruption into Mr Perks's house, acceptable occurrence to it and if necessary, stab Mr Perks.

"In short, helium intended to termination Mr Perks by either oregon some those means."

Ms Ayling said Mr Perks was woken by the suspect breaking successful done the conservatory and initially mistook the suspect for his son.

She said Dr Brooks stabbed him successful the abdomen and, having already dispersed the liquid astir the crushed level of the house, helium "made his escape".

Mr Perks's woman and lad "raised the alarm" aft being woken and helium was transferred to infirmary wherever helium underwent country and was not discharged for much than a month.

"Because of speedy enactment and astonishing surgical skill, [Mr] Perks lives," said Ms Ayling.

Jurors were told the unfortunate required 3 operations earlier being moved to captious attraction and helium remained successful a medically induced coma aft sustaining incision wounds to his liver and pancreas.

In the days before, which was during a Covid pandemic lockdown, the tribunal heard disciplinary proceedings against Dr Brooks had been taking spot successful online hearings.

Statements from Mr Perks formed portion of the grounds against him, the proceedings heard.

Ms Ayling said the suspect "was intelligibly frustrated" by the hearings and wanted his workfellow "out of the way".

"The prosecution does not person to beryllium a motive for immoderate crime, however, it is wide that the suspect hated Graeme Perks," she said.

Dr Brooks was recovered sleeping connected a seat connected a patio extracurricular a location successful Southwell astatine astir 08:05 GMT connected 14 January, erstwhile an ambulance was called.

Ms Ayling said his woman reported him missing to constabulary aboriginal that greeting aft she "reported uncovering an magnitude of humor successful their garage".

He was recovered astatine King's Mill Hospital, Sutton-in-Ashfield, "receiving attraction for hypothermia and injuries to his close hand".

He was arrested soon afterwards and his covering and a achromatic rucksack recovered successful his possession was taken for analysis.

Ms Ayling said forensic grounds recovered a flammable liquid was "thrown up the stairs, successful the hallway and successful the conservatory", which she argued showed the defendant's motive.

"It was successful the mediate of nighttime [and] the lone exit constituent for those sleeping upstairs would person been the stairs," she said.

"The intent indispensable person been to termination the occupants of that location and to halt them escaping."

During the opening of the trial, Judge Edward Pepperall besides addressed jurors connected the lack of the suspect and barristers connected his behalf.

He told jurors not to "speculate astir the crushed that Dr Brooks is not here" and noting helium had been offered the accidental to beryllium represented.

"The operation of these circumstances is highly unusual," helium said.

"His lack is not grounds against him."

The trial, expected to past 14 weeks, continues.