Brutal Corby machete attacker jailed for nearly 20 years

Peter Campbell, 31, was handed the extended sentence at Leicester Crown Court on Monday (July 1) after he pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm following an unprovoked attack at an Esso garage in Oakley Road on Bonfire Night last year.

At about 7.10pm on November 5, Campbell began an argument with a customer in the store, before leaving briefly and returning with a machete held behind his back.

After taunting his victim further, Campbell set upon him with the weapon, inflicting serious wounds to both arms and hands, including cutting his left arm down to the bone.

Leaving his victim bleeding heavily, Campbell repeatedly ran at the store’s glass doors before smashing his way out and running off.

An off-duty nurse and police officers gave the victim emergency first aid before he was rushed University Hospital Coventry for life-saving emergency surgery, after which he underwent repeat operations to try to repair the damage caused.

On November 10 Campbell was traced to an address in Rothwell, where he held his pregnant partner hostage at knife-point before he was arrested and charged with the garage attack.

Investigating officer Det Sgt Kevin MacDonald, of Kettering CID, said: “This was an unprovoked attack on an innocent man simply queuing to pay while his child waited outside in the car.

“The ferocity of Campbell’s attack left his victim with significant physical injuries which may still need further surgery and require ongoing physiotherapy, not to mention the devastating emotional after-effects of going through such a traumatic experience.

“His injuries have undoubtedly changed his life and I hope the substantial sentence passed on Campbell, which rightly reflects the danger he poses, will offer some closure and a sense of justice.

“Northamptonshire Police will not tolerate any level of violence or the use of weapons, and this sentence shows there is no place in society for those who deliberately inflict such harm on others.”

Campbell, of no fixed address, Corby, was given an extended sentence of 18 years and four months imprisonment for grievous bodily harm with intent, of which he will serve 13 years and four months in custody, then five years on licence.

Extended sentences are imposed on those judged to be dangerous sexual or violent offenders.

He was also sentenced to three years and four months a charge of false imprisonment relating to the incident on November 10, and 16 months for possession of the machete, to both run concurrently to the GBH sentence.

A charge of attempted murder was ordered to lie on file.