Plastic surgeon who attempted to murder fellow doctor is jailed for life
Jailing him at Leicester Crown Court, sitting in Loughborough, on Monday, Judge Mr Justice Pepperall said Brooks had committed 'appalling' crimes after setting off from his home on a 'murderous expedition'.
Brooks, who was 'voluntarily absent' from his month-long trial because he was on hunger strike and said he would 'rather be dead than incarcerated', did not appear in person for the sentencing hearing on Monday after refusing to leave his cell.
Retired surgeon Graeme Perks pictured leaving Loughborough Magistrates' Court after giving evidence at the trial of Peter Brooks in March (Matthew Cooper/PA)
Stephen Leslie KC, defending, said Brooks had said he was too unwell to make the journey to court and instead listened to proceedings via video link from HMP Norwich.
Mr Justice Pepperall previously told the court that on 'no fewer than eight occasions' since 2021 Brooks, formerly of Landseer Road, Southwell, had 'used hunger strikes or the threat of some other self-harm to achieve some advantage'.
Brooks's convictions followed a four-year series of legal hearings, including a mistrial and seven other aborted trial dates.
The consultant, specialising in burns and plastics, was convicted in April of two counts of attempted murder, one for the intended use of fire and the other for the stabbing, attempted arson with intent to endanger life, and possession of a knife in a public place.
The bicycle Peter Brooks used to cycle to Graeme Perks's home to stab him (Nottinghamshire Police/PA)
The trial was told Brooks had cycled in the snow to Mr Perks's home during a Covid lockdown wearing camouflage gear and armed with a crowbar, petrol, matches and a knife.
Mr Perks, a consultant plastic surgeon, had provided evidence in disciplinary proceedings against Brooks, who faced potentially losing his job with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, the jury heard.
When opening the prosecution's case, Tracy Ayling KC had told the trial it was 'clear that the defendant hated Graeme Perks' and wanted him 'out of the way'.
A container of fuel was inside Peter Brooks's cycle pannier (Nottinghamshire Police/PA)
Mr Perks, who was 65 at the time, had retired the month before the attack but suffered 'extremely life-threatening' injuries to his liver, intestines and pancreas, and was given a 95% chance of death.
The victim woke up when Brooks smashed through his conservatory, and went downstairs where his feet 'felt a bit damp' from the petrol before he felt a 'blow to his body'.
The court was told Brooks had also thrown petrol up the stair walls while Mr Perks's wife Bev and youngest son Henry were sleeping upstairs.
The defendant was found asleep on a garden bench later that morning when he was taken to hospital for injuries to his hand, and was arrested.
A camouflage suit found after the attack (Nottinghamshire Police/PA)
In a victim impact statement read to the court by Ms Ayling, Mr Perks said the incident had been an 'unimaginable catastrophe' for him and his family.
He said: 'This has been a nightmare for my wife and son who must have wondered if I was going to survive.
'This has been beyond every struggle in our lives so far.'
He added: 'I have no ill-feelings, hatred or bitterness towards my ex-colleague and derive no satisfaction from the guilty conviction.
'It is just another interesting chapter in life, and I wish his family well.
'I remain eternally grateful that it was me, not Bev or Henry who were stabbed, and reflect how ironic that a burns surgeon should wish to immolate our family.'
Henry Perks, Mr Perks's son, described Brooks as a 'highly dangerous and remorseless individual' and 'nothing more than a bully', adding: 'He simply has no morals, sees no wrong in his actions and will stop at nothing to hurt those he perceives to have wronged him.
'I have no doubt his failure to silence my father will consume his mind and make him dangerous in the years after his release.'
Ms Ayling said Brooks was 'manipulative' and had shown no remorse for what he had done.
She said: 'He believes himself to be not guilty of the offences. He believes he has been unlawfully tried.
'He has a history of being manipulative.'
Mitigating, Mr Leslie said it was a 'single act of violence' and that there was no pre-planning beyond the day of the attack.
He said Brooks had petrol in his garage because he was a motorbike enthusiast and that he is 'beginning to show remorse' for what he had done.
He told the court: 'He has done a lot of good in the world for many people. He should be provided with a chance to reform himself. There is still good in him.
'He is now 61, he must have the opportunity of coming out in his lifetime to return to society and be given the opportunity to carry out the good work he has demonstrated.'
Matches and a lighter were also found in Peter Brooks's bike pannier (Nottinghamshire Police/PA)
Mr Justice Pepperall said Brooks must serve a minimum of 22 years, with time spent in prison already taking that to 17 years and 223 days, for the two counts of attempted murder.
A sentence of six years for arson and 18 months for possessing a knife are to run concurrently.
The judge said Brooks, who specialised in treating burns, would have known the significant damage setting a fire would have caused, as well as how badly Mr Perks would have been injured when he stabbed him.
He said: 'You must have had substantial professional experience of treating those who have suffered appalling and painful burns, and yet you attempted to set a fire in the middle of the night, intending to kill your former colleague and to endanger the lives of any other occupants as they lay sleeping in their beds.
'Further, you were a trained surgeon, and yet you plunged a knife into your colleague's body, passing through his liver, his pancreas, his duodenum and his inferior vena cava with the same murderous intent.'
He said Brooks was 'fixated' on employment difficulties he was facing and blamed Mr Perks for his troubles.
He said: 'Your key demand in negotiations to resolve your employment issues was that Mr Perks should be required to leave the (hospital) trust.
'Upon that evidence and your extreme actions on the night of January 14 2021, I am sure that your simmering sense of grievance towards Mr Perks developed into deep anger.'
He added: 'There is evidence that your life was falling apart in January 2021. Your employment difficulties were coming to a head and you anticipated that the disciplinary hearing that opened earlier that week was likely to lead to your dismissal, the loss of your home and the breakdown of your marriage.
'While not mentally ill, you were under very significant pressure. In my judgement, your anger at the perceived injustice and hopelessness of your situation led to this explosion of very serious violence.'
Mr Justice Pepperall said he could not be sure whether Brooks had spent more than a few hours before breaking into Mr Perks's house planning the 'murderous expedition' and despite Brooks's claims he had acted in self-defence when confronted by Mr Perks, the judge said he was sure that the defendant was the 'sole aggressor'.
He also said he could not detect any remorse for what he had done, adding: 'But rather, a fixed view that you were hounded out of your employment by what you describe as the 'medical mafia' and self-pity at the situation in which you now find yourself.'
In a statement after Brooks was sentenced, Sam Shallow from the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'Peter Brooks committed an act of extreme violence, attempting to murder a highly respected colleague.
'This was a planned, calculated attack, in which Brooks showed he was determined to kill his former colleague.
'Since committing these atrocious acts, Brooks has sought to evade responsibility. He has requested late adjournments, dispensed with his legal team, and used his health to avoid proper progress of the court proceedings.
'On each of the nine occasions the case has been listed at court, the prosecution team has been ready.
'Justice has now caught up with Brooks.
'His victim was fortunate to escape with his life and his whole family were in danger from Brooks's inexplicable actions.
'Despite the physical and emotional trauma they have endured, they have come to court to tell their story on two separate occasions.
'This has been a long process for them, but I hope that finally seeing these proceedings coming to a close will help them in their recovery from this ordeal.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
5 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Ministers ‘abusing' anti-terror laws against Palestine activists
Organisers estimated that 350,000 people attended the protest, with those marching waving Palestinian flags and chanting 'free, free Palestine' and 'stop bombing Iran'. Many protesters chanted 'shame on you' as they walked past dozens of counter-protesters, organised by pro-Israeli group Stop The Hate, near Waterloo Bridge. The Metropolitan Police said a person was arrested after a bottle was thrown towards the counter-protesters. They added that 'a group appeared on Waterloo Bridge trying to block traffic' following the protest, with officers intervening to clear the road. The demonstrations come after reports on Friday that the Home Secretary will ban Palestine Action after the group vandalised two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton. Yvette Cooper has decided to proscribe the group, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support Palestine Action, after footage posted online showed two people inside the RAF base, with one appearing to spray paint into an aircraft's jet engine. Addressing crowds at the national march for Palestine in Whitehall, former SNP leader Mr Yousaf said: 'While we stand a stone's throw from Downing Street, let's make it clear to the Prime Minister: You try to intimidate us with your anti-terror laws by abusing them, but you'll never silence us as we speak out against the genocide that you're supporting. 'We're not the terrorists – the ones that are literally killing children, they are the terrorists.' A pro-Palestine protester said it was 'absolutely horrendous' that the Government is preparing to ban Palestine Action. Paloma Faith speaking after a march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in London (Jeff Moore/PA) Artist Hannah Woodhouse, 61, told the PA news agency: 'The Government, since yesterday, have said they're also going to start to try to proscribe peace activists who are trying to take action against the genocide – so Palestine Action are now being targeted by our Government, which is absolutely horrendous.' Ms Woodhouse, who is from London, added: 'Counter-terrorism measures, it seems, are being used against non-violent peace protesters. 'The peace activists are trying to do the Government's job, which is to disarm Israel. The duty of any government right now is to disarm a genocidal state.' Musician Paloma Faith told pro-Palestine campaigners that she would not 'stick to music and stay away from politics'. Speaking to crowds at the march, the songwriter, 43, added: 'Those who facilitate these crimes against humanity need to be made accountable, not those of us who are compassionate and humane enough to stand against it.' Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told protesters that politicians were seeking to 'turn people who protest against the invasion of Iran or the occupation of Palestine into terrorists'. Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaking after a march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, from Russell Square to Whitehall in central London (Jeff Moore/PA) Some protesters were carrying Iran flags, with others hoisting signs – distributed by the Islamic Human Rights Commission – that read 'choose the right side of history' alongside a photo of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Human rights group Liberty said banning Palestine Action 'would be a huge step change in how counter-terror laws are applied'. Sam Grant, its external affairs director, said in a statement: 'Targeting a protest group with terrorism powers in this way is a shocking escalation of the Government's crackdown on protest and we urge the Home Secretary to rethink. 'It's clear the actions of Palestine Action don't meet the Government's own proportionality test to be proscribed as a terrorist group, but the consequences for the group's supporters if ministers go ahead would be heavy – with things like wearing their logo carrying prison sentences. 'This move needs to be viewed in light of the sustained crackdowns on protest we have seen from successive governments over recent years, and the worrying fact that there are more and more non-violent protesters spending years in prison.' The Palestine Coalition is comprised of a number of different groups, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Stop The War.
North Wales Chronicle
6 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Mike Lynch's superyacht fully raised above water for first time since it sank
Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off the Italian island on August 19, including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18. The 56-metre (184ft) yacht was seen being held above the water by one of Europe's most powerful sea cranes near the fishing town of Porticello on Saturday afternoon. The yacht's propeller, rudder and keel all appeared to be intact. It was then lowered again slightly and salvage crews say that on Sunday it will be moved to Termini Imerese – where Italian prosecutors investigating the sinking are based. On Saturday morning, workers could be seen on the vessel, which is covered in mud and algae, while the canopy and guard rails are mangled. The full word 'Bayesian' could be seen on the stern of the yacht and a ladder which Italian coastguard officials say was originally on the ship to allow passengers to disembark was seen cracked and pointed upwards on the starboard side. Also visible on the top deck was the stump of the mast. Salvage workers say there were 18,000 litres of fuel on board. Investigators in the UK and Italy say raising the vessel is crucial to fully understanding what happened. Balloon-like kit will be used to lift the Bayesian's mast, a project insider said. The yacht's 72-metre (236ft) mast was cut off on Tuesday using a remote-controlled tool and rested on the seabed. He told PA: 'Lifting bags will be used on the mast, but this will not start until Tuesday or Wednesday. 'In the interim, the salvors on-site not accompanying Bayesian to port will be conducting a full sweep of the seabed site for any potential debris.' Meanwhile, Michele Maltese, of the Italian coastguard, told reporters that thermal cameras were used to check for any potential fuel leaks. A local law investigator was also at the scene, he said. Marcus Cave of British firm TMC Marine, which is overseeing the salvage efforts, said: 'This was a complex and precise lifting operation to recover Bayesian, and followed a step-by-step programme of salvage work. 'The salvage team has progressed in a systematic way that prioritised the safety of all working on site and minimised any potential impact on the environment. 'This care for personnel and for the environment will continue as Bayesian is transported into port tomorrow.' The vessel was originally expected to be raised last month, but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment. About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation, which began last month. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigators said in an interim report that the Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind'. The yacht had a vulnerability to winds, but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said. US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel, also died in the sinking. Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks in Kent. The tycoon founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and was cleared in June last year of carrying out a massive fraud over the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
Leader Live
6 hours ago
- Leader Live
Mike Lynch's superyacht fully raised above water for first time since it sank
Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off the Italian island on August 19, including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18. The 56-metre (184ft) yacht was seen being held above the water by one of Europe's most powerful sea cranes near the fishing town of Porticello on Saturday afternoon. The yacht's propeller, rudder and keel all appeared to be intact. It was then lowered again slightly and salvage crews say that on Sunday it will be moved to Termini Imerese – where Italian prosecutors investigating the sinking are based. On Saturday morning, workers could be seen on the vessel, which is covered in mud and algae, while the canopy and guard rails are mangled. The full word 'Bayesian' could be seen on the stern of the yacht and a ladder which Italian coastguard officials say was originally on the ship to allow passengers to disembark was seen cracked and pointed upwards on the starboard side. Also visible on the top deck was the stump of the mast. Salvage workers say there were 18,000 litres of fuel on board. Investigators in the UK and Italy say raising the vessel is crucial to fully understanding what happened. Balloon-like kit will be used to lift the Bayesian's mast, a project insider said. The yacht's 72-metre (236ft) mast was cut off on Tuesday using a remote-controlled tool and rested on the seabed. He told PA: 'Lifting bags will be used on the mast, but this will not start until Tuesday or Wednesday. 'In the interim, the salvors on-site not accompanying Bayesian to port will be conducting a full sweep of the seabed site for any potential debris.' Meanwhile, Michele Maltese, of the Italian coastguard, told reporters that thermal cameras were used to check for any potential fuel leaks. A local law investigator was also at the scene, he said. Marcus Cave of British firm TMC Marine, which is overseeing the salvage efforts, said: 'This was a complex and precise lifting operation to recover Bayesian, and followed a step-by-step programme of salvage work. 'The salvage team has progressed in a systematic way that prioritised the safety of all working on site and minimised any potential impact on the environment. 'This care for personnel and for the environment will continue as Bayesian is transported into port tomorrow.' The vessel was originally expected to be raised last month, but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment. About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation, which began last month. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigators said in an interim report that the Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind'. The yacht had a vulnerability to winds, but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said. US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel, also died in the sinking. Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks in Kent. The tycoon founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and was cleared in June last year of carrying out a massive fraud over the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
