A thieving surveyor who viciously slashed out at a

A thieving surveyor who viciously slashed out at a shop
assistant with a knife – causing appalling injuries – now awaits
sentence.

Victim Steven Kite, 29, was left with tendons and bone exposed on
his left hand after he confronted Ian Akred outside the Lakeside
Shopping Centre in Thurrock.

Mr Kite, from Aveley, was still receiving hospital
treatment as an out-patient four months after the incident, and he has
lost the feeling from some of his fingers, Snaresbrook Crown Court was
told.

Judge John Platt had heard how Akred, a surveyor and plan drawer
until last March when the company he worked for went into liquidation,
had at the time been taking drugs and sleeping rough.

Mr Thomas Price, defending, had urged the judge to defer
sentencing Akred, 23, for three months so that he could receive
psychiatric treatment and to attend a drug abuse programme.

Judge Platt told Akred: ‘The offence of wounding to which you
pleaded guilty richly deserves a custodial sentence of at least 18
months.

‘The reason I am not going to sentence you today is because there
is just a glimmer of a hope that there is some other way of dealing
with you.

‘It is entirely in your hands whether I am going to be able to
take that course.

‘
Judge Platt warned Akred that if he did not respond to treatment,
custody would be ‘the only alternative.

‘
He was told that he would eventually have to pay compensation to
Mr Kite.

Sentence was deferred until July 10.

Akred, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to wounding with
intent.

The court was told how on August 20 last year, Akred walked into
the Olympus sports store in the Lakeside Shopping Centre.

‘He had with him a sports bag which was empty and aroused the
suspicions of staff,’ said Mr Craig Rush prosecuting.

Akred caused an electronic alarm to sound as he left without
paying for nine Fred Perry T-shirts worth pnds stlg 180 in all.

Members of staff chased and lost him initially but got into cars
to drive around the area, continued counsel.

They found Akred hiding behind some bushes and told him to come
out, but clutching a four inch bladed craft knife he threatened them
and tried to get away.

He was blocked by one of the cars and while Mr Kite tried to grab
the thief he was stabbed in the back and then repeatedly cut to his
left hand.

‘He was in a frenzy to get away.

‘Mr Kite’s hand was severely damaged and tendons and bone
appeared,’ said Mr Rush.

Akred got away but he was arrested several hundred yards away
from the attack.

Mr Kite was later taken to hospital with a two inch cut to his
back and his left hand had to be operated upon.

He was in hospital for three days and was off work for weeks.

Mr Price said that it was ‘really rather a tragic
case of a young man who had recently seen a serious deterioration in
his life brought about from drug abuse leading to mental illness.

‘
Mr Price said of Akred: ‘He is quite clearly not a violent
man and this was a wholly isolated incident.

‘
ENDS