Friday, May 22, 2009

Crazy

Knifeman 'copied scene from The Shining' as he attacked paramedics
A knifeman copied a scene from the horror film The Shining as he threatened to "carve up" two paramedics who he had lured to his flat, a court has heard.

By Murray Wardrop
Last Updated: 7:08AM BST 22 May 2009

Hilton must serve a minimum of 27 months behind bars Photo: PA
Philip Jones, 43, and Lorna Wood, 41, found themselves caught in a "malicious trap" after responding to a hoax call from Leonard Hilton, claiming that he had attempted suicide.

The pair were forced to barricade themselves in Hilton's sitting room after he locked them in the flat and lunged at them with a kitchen knife.

They then cowered in fear of their lives as the 45-year-old repeatedly plunged the blade through the door while shouting actor Jack Nicholson's famous line "Here's Johnny!".

Mr Jones and Miss Wood were only saved when police smashed down the door of the property and disarmed Hilton using CS gas spray.

Hilton was handed an indeterminate jail sentence on Thursday after he admitted two counts of making threats to kill, two counts of false imprisonment, and one of affray.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court was told that Hilton dialled 999 on September 30 last year and told an operator that he had cut his wrists in the bath.

The two paramedics rushed to his 12th floor flat in Oldham, Greater Manchester, where the factory worker opened the door holding a towel over his wrists.

The ploy however, was a trick to get them inside so he could fulfil the wish of voices in his head, which he claimed had told him to harm paramedics.

Prosecutor Jaime Hamilton said the pair took refuge in the sitting room, where they barricaded the door with a sofa.

Mr Hamilton said: "The defendant was banging on the door trying to get in and shouted 'I'm going to kill you, you are not getting out alive, I am going to carve you up'."

He added that Hilton then began stabbing through the door, shouting: "Here's Johnny! Come out and play. I am going to stab you."

Neither of the paramedics was injured in the attack, but both suffered "severe trauma".

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Miss Wood said: "While we were trapped inside that flat I was terrified that we would be killed.

"I will live with that fear for the rest of my life."

Passing sentence, Judge Leslie Hull said: "If anyone deserves the protection of the court it is these people who do no more than their best to treat members of the public who are injured or otherwise unwell.

"One of them, a young woman, has contemplated turning her back on her career."

Hilton, a father of one who has a previous conviction for committing arson endangering life, must serve a minimum of 27 months behind bars.

Speaking after the hearing, Det Con Mark Tiffany, of Oldham CID, said: "They believed it to be a genuine emergency – it was in fact a malicious trap set by Hilton.

"The incident highlights how those responding to emergencies can put themselves in very clear danger."

North West Ambulance Service area director Delwyn Wray added: "This tragic incident highlights how ambulance emergency staff can be put in serious danger by violent and abusive people."

How crazy is this dude. I mean I thought it was pretty cool when the Shark in finding Nemo did the here's Johnny line...but this guy has taken this line to the top tier level.

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