FOUR men who stabbed a Fishponds man at least seven times in the street have been jailed for a combined total of 75 years.
Cain Henderson (above, right), aged 25, of Eastville, Tayshon Graham (above, left), 21, of Easton and Reuben Fay (below, right), 20, of Lockleaze, have each been given 23-year sentences after being found guilty of attempting to murder Mitchell Burke on Boxing Day 2023.
A fourth defendant, 22-year-old Ajay Edwards (below, left), of Slough, has been sentenced to six years in prison after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Police said Mitchell, now aged 24, had gone for a meal with friends at a restaurant in Gloucester Road, Bishopston on the night of the attack.
Graham, Fay and Edwards entered the restaurant and watched Mitchell and his friends before leaving and returning 40 minutes later with Henderson as the group of friends left the restaurant.
Mitchel tripped and fell in Bishop Road, where he was set upon and stabbed.
Police said he suffered a brain injury, and “multiple significant wounds” to his face, neck, shoulder, arm, chest and buttock.
A spokesperson said it was almost certainly only thanks to the efforts of passers-by, emergency services and hospital staff that he survived – but he has been left with “life-changing injuries and disabilities”.
The defendants were jailed almost two years to the day after the attack at Bristol Crown Court.
They will have to serve two-thirds of their sentence before they can be considered for release.
Sentencing them, Judge Michael Cullum said he had taken account of their youth and “tragically similar” adverse personal circumstances but that they are all dangerous offenders.
The judge noted that Edwards did not take or use a knife, and that Henderson had not touched Mitchell but was jointly responsible for the attack.
‘You have taken the greatest years of his life’
A victim impact statement read to the court from Mitchell’s family said: “Every day for months I sat beside my son’s bedside in hospital watching machines keep him alive, all because of what you did.
“I was begging for him to stay alive, not knowing what son I would have when he woke up due to the brain injury that you caused.
“As much as I hate you for what you’ve done to him, I wouldn’t wish this pain on your family.
“My son has had to keep fighting and is still fighting every day, he’s had to be strong and learn how to walk and talk again. He was 22 years of age that night and you have taken away the greatest years of his life.
“He has had to ensure physio to help him walk again. Occupational health to help with his memory skills, speech, and language therapy.
“He has no memory. He can’t remember fun exciting things he did as a child or just memories of what we used to do as a family.
“He is now 24 years old and shouldn’t be having to be told like a five-year-old to remember to do things. He is now living with life-changing injuries and disabilities, every day he will see these scars, and he will be constantly reminded of what you did.
“He will not work, what he did have planned he will never be able to do. You caused this and took what goals he had away from him. You have taken things away from him more than you will ever know.
“You have no value of life, not even your own. You threw that away that night, not once did you think about your own mother or family in your twisted actions. I feel sorry for you, and I pity you.
“My justice comes from you getting sentenced, but your sentence will never be long enough for what you have done.
“Ours is for life, but we’re strong as a family unit and you will never win because you are weak.
“You are all cowards that hide your faces – you probably can’t even tell me why you did it.”
‘Horrific attack’
Afterwards Detective Inspector Peter Walker said: “This was a horrific attack on a young man on Boxing Day, who was simply out with friends having a meal in a local restaurant.
“As a consequence he and his family are living with the long-term impact of the injuries he sustained. He owes his life to the selfless efforts of members of the public who came to his aid, the emergency services at the scene and the medical professionals at hospital.
“Mitchell and his family have shown remarkable strength and unity. Nothing can undo the harm done, but they can now face the future together knowing these men are behind bars. We wish them all the best.
“The three young men convicted of attempting to murder him, and a fourth who admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, have now ruined their own lives by their actions.
“They thought that covering their faces meant they wouldn’t be brought to justice. They were wrong. We, as the police, will continue to act robustly to target and tackle those who choose to carry knives as well as those who use them to cause such terrible and devastating harm.
“It’s clear we all need to come together to stop the devastation of knife crime. The police all too frequently are there to pick up the pieces, bringing offenders to justice. But this does not stop the traumatic impact on people’s lives.
“We need to prevent these horrific acts of violence and their tragic consequences from happening in the first place.
“To do so, we all need to work together, with our partners and with our communities.
“So please, talk to the children and young people you care about. Tell them carrying a knife does not make them strong, and it certainly won’t keep them safe.”