Jail for Newark man who stabbed woman in unprovoked attack while her son, 3, ate a McDonald's in the next room
A paranoid schizophrenic who was overcome by rage when he stabbed a woman once in the chest and three times in the abdomen in an unprovoked attack will have to convince the Parole Board that he is fit for release on licence.
Andrius Sidlauskas, 34, of Tudor Close, Newark, was branded a threat to society if his condition is not properly managed.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Sidlauskas was at the home he shared with his brother and mother on Tudor Close with his brother's partner and her three-year-old child on July 7 of last year.
The woman, who had stayed over as she often did, had ordered a McDonald's through Uber Eats. Sidlauskas had declined the offer of having some, said the Crown Prosecution Service.
The prosecution said Sidlauskas seemed in a bad mood, and while the woman had never experienced his rage, she was concerned enough to call her boyfriend who told her to stay out of his way.
The food was delivered and the woman handed her son his and then went into the kitchen.
As she opened the fridge to get ketchup, the defendant suddenly, and without warning, began stabbing her with a six-inch kitchen knife.
The prosecution said Sidlauskas seemed to relent. She somehow managed to get to her feet and run screaming from the room, scooped-up her son and ran outside in her underwear where the Uber Eats driver was still parked. She got them both into the car and shouted and screamed for help.
The driver headed for Newark Hospital, but they came across two ambulances stationary at traffic lights and she and her son were taken to the King's Mill emergency room.
Sidlauskas went to the police station immediately to hand himself in.
In sentencing Sidlauskas, who had pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, Judge Gregory Dickinson said: "There was no need for you to attack her. You were angry, but not with her.
"She was in the kitchen, she opened the fridge door. you came up behind her and attacked her with a kitchen knife.
"You stabbed her four times. You tried to stab her more than that. There are defence wounds to her right arm. She went to the floor. You grabbed her by the hair and tried to stab her. You did kick her to the head and the stomach. She was able to get to her feet, grabbed her son and fled in terror from the house. She was seriously injured.
"Overcome with rage, you said it could have been anyone and said to one psychiatrist that it was in your mind to hurt the child, though you did not do so"
The abdominal wounds caused serious internal injury, one blow sliced through the liver that required surgery.
Judge Dickinson said the woman's victim impact statement described lasting impact both physically and emotionally. She remains in pain, has restricted movement, depends on others to help her, remains distressed, suffers nightmares, is aware of her scars, and has to take both painkillers and medication for depression.
What happened also brought an end to her relationship with Sidlauskas' brother.
"She recently wrote a letter to you saying that she forgives you — a wonderfully brave and dignified letter," said the judge.
A psychiatrist determined in November Sidlauskas was not fit to enter a plea. He had told that psychiatrist that he wanted to plead guilty. At the end of December, he was ruled fit and did plead.
Sidlauskas, who has a prior conviction for assault causing actual bodily harm from 2009, was said to have been suffering psychotic symptoms, hearing external voices and experiencing paranoid delusions. He had a history of substance abuse, but there was no indication he had been drinking or taking drugs at the time of the attack.
His family had been concerned his behaviour was getting worse with more frequent outbursts of anger.
Sidlauskas' barrister linked the crime to the mental disorder and said his client was remorseful, had difficulty expressing his emotions, but was ashamed of it.
"There are some aggravating factors, things that make it worse," said the judge: "First that this is in a domestic setting where she should have been safe from harm. Secondly that the child was present in the house. Hopefully not to witness the attack, but certainly to have witnessed his mother's injured and bloody condition and her distress. And I also take into account the overall severity of the attack."
On subject of dangerousness in the future, the judge said that while in prison Sidlauskas was stable, cooperative and had a level of understanding of his condition, but probation said he was high risk to the general public and to known adults close to him on the outside.
The judge said there was a history of violence, usually a result of derogatory and command hallucinations.
"It is very likely that if your condition is not effectively managed, you would commit similar, or more serious, offences in the future. You require specialist risk assessment and management in the community," said he judge.
Sidlauskas was handed an extended prison sentence of four years, two thirds to be served in custody and then he can apply to the Parole Board to be released on licence. It will be up to the Parole Board to decide whether or not it is safe for him to be released on licence. If it is not safe, he will remain in prison up to the full four-year term.
Whenever he is released on licence, it will be an extended period of licence of a further three years.
This means a sentence of seven years; four years custody and three on licence.
Detective Inspector Craig Hall, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “The victim’s injuries in this case were very serious as a result of this vicious attack by Sidlauskas.
“I would like to commend the delivery driver for their fast actions in protecting the victim and alerting the police.
“Our response team and detectives did a fantastic job in this case and were able to quickly arrest and charge Sidlauskas.
“The victim has shown tremendous courage by supporting this prosecution while she recovers from significant physical and emotional injuries.
“I hope that this conviction and sentence go some way to aiding her recovery.
“I also hope the outcome of this case gives the public confidence that Nottinghamshire Police will take positive action against those prepared to use bladed weapons and put people’s safety at risk.
“Incidents of knife crime and violence seriously affect our communities and we will always seek to put violent offenders before the courts to face justice.
“Whenever a serious incident like this happens we understand the concern it can cause but I’d like to reassure the public the force is working hard every single day to reduce weapon-enabled crime and to prevent incidents from happening in the first place.”