Man who stabbed sleeping victim five times is jailed

Charlie Pitcairn, 24, of no fixed address was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm after repeatedly stabbing his victim in the leg in an unprovoked attack at Lewes Crown Court yesterday (Monday, June 19).

The vicious and unprovoked attack took place at an address on Border Road in Haslemere, near Midhurst and Petworth, on April 22, police said.

It began when Pitcairn entered the address, and soon began stabbing his victim five times in the thigh while they lay sleeping.

Pitcairn later fled the scene, according to a statement by police, and the attacker, who the judge described as a 'highly dangerous' individual, then went on the run for days, triggering an extensive search by Surrey Police officers with the assistance of police drones, search dogs, and support from the National Police Air Service.

After two days on the run Pitcairn then handed himself into police.

The victim and suspect were known to each other.

Investigating Officer, detective constable Claire Little, from Surrey Police said: “This was an unprovoked and frenzied attack on a man who was sleeping. This could have easily had a much more tragic outcome, so we hope that the quick resolution of this case reassures our local residents that this awful behaviour is not tolerated in our county, and we will do whatever we can to bring offenders to justice."