A fireman came within a centimetre of death when

A fireman came within a centimetre of death when a deranged
vagrant brutally stabbed him in an utterly motiveless street
attack, the Old Bailey heard.

Without any warning, Malcolm Swann, 44, suddenly plunged an
eight-inch kitchen knife into Duncan Brown’s back as the off-duty
officer was shopping in Burpham, near Guildford.

Mr Brown, 28, managed to flee to the safety of a nearby office.

By sheer chance, another fireman was able to render the first
aid that saved the desperately wounded man’s life.

Richard Ayears, 32, who also worked with the Metropolitan Fire
Brigade, but had never met Mr Brown before, tended to his strick
en colleague until an ambulance arrived.

Surgeons later found Swann’s knife had caused a haemorrhage
when it pierced the lung and came within a centimetre of slashing
open his heart.

Swann was arrested nearby by police.

The bloodstained knife
was still in his bag.

The court was told he had a string of convictions for violence.

Sentence was adjourned for reports.

Mr Peter Walsh, prosecuting, said Mr Brown was attacked as he
went into a newsagent in Kings Post Parade, Burpham, on April 12
last year.

‘He was aware of a person behind him and felt a blow to the
upper right part of his back.

‘It knocked him forward into the newsagent.

‘
The attack was so sudden that he did not immediately realise
he had been stabbed, counsel said.

A number of witnesses heard Swann mutter: ‘I can’t take him
any longer’ and ‘You can push me too far.

‘
Mr Brown, who had never met his attacker before, ran down
Kings Post Parade to a Woolich Property Services office.

Swann was seen to follow him.

Witnesses said he was walking
quite calmly.

After Mr Brown disappeared into the office, Swann wandered
through the town before being stopped by the police.

When they approached him he said: ‘I’ve got no grievance with
you’ and handed over the large blood-stained knife.

When told he was being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder
he replied: ‘You’ve got the wrong charge.

‘
In court he denied attempted murder but admitted causing
grievous bodily harm with intent.

His victim has now made a full recovery.

Judge Michael Coombe QC was told Swann was a drifter who toured

the country and had a long string of convictions for possessing
offensive weapons and violence.

Just a month before the knife attack, he had been convicted at
Reading Crown Court of assaulting a Marks and Spencer employee.

The worker was hit over the head with a bottle taken from the o73
store’s drinks section which Swann had started swigging from.

He was sentenced to one day’s police detention.

After his latest arrest, Swann was put in a secure mental
hospital.

A psychiatrist told the court that, in the absence of
drink, Swann had no mental problems.

Judge Coombe said the problem was what sentence to impose.

‘Obviously this is a very, very serious stabbing indeed.

This
is totally unmotivated.

‘The terrible worry is no other member of the public should be
exposed to more risk.

‘
He remanded Swann in custody for further reports.

ENDS
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