He was high on cocaine and trying to kill his ex in the street - then a stranger stepped in and saved her life
Mother-of-two Rachel Hobson, 30, was rescued and driven to hospital by a complete stranger who disarmed her drug-crazed attacker, Thomas Wakefield.
Wakefield, 26, has now been jailed for 12 years and eight months, with a five year extended licence period by a judge who concluded he posed a ‘significant risk’ to women.
Manchester Crown Court heard Wakefield, who was high on cocaine and mephedrone, had began stabbing his ex-partner in a ferocious attack in the street in Wythenshawe, in the early hours of October 30, when her screams were heard by two men working for an events company on a nearby trading estate.
They walked to where the noise was coming from and saw her being kicked, punched and ‘slammed into a junction box’. One of the men - Alistair Merrill - got in his car and drove over to help.
Wakefield tried to pull her away, but Mr Merrill opened the rear door and she grabbed hold of one of the vehicle’s headrests. Wakefield then ‘dived on top of her’ and continued to stab her in the back and legs.
Mr Merrill pulled the thug off Miss Hobson , pushed him to the floor, put his foot on his chest and disarmed him. He then picked up the knife and waved it at Wakefield to ward him off, before throwing the knife in the footwell, jumping back in the car and locking the doors.
Undeterred, Wakefield began banging on the windows of the car.
Prosecutor Robert Smith said: “As Mr Merrill started to move off the defendant grabbed the top edge of the bonnet and held on, but lost his hand-hold and went flying as Mr Merrill turned onto Shadowmoss Road and drove as quickly as he could to the hospital.
Mr Merrill later told police that throughout the incident Wakefield seemed cold and emotionless, ‘as if he just had a job to do’.
In the minutes before Mr Merrill came on the scene, Wakefield had been to
Miss Hobson’s home, where he had pulled a knife and told his dog to ‘get her’ after they talked about the demise of their relationship.
Wakefield, of Robert Owen Gardens, Northenden, admitted attempted murder.
The court heard how he had a previous conviction for an attack on another former partner, who he threatened to stab during her ordeal.
Sending Wakefield down, Judge Patrick Field QC told him: “It was a murderous attack and you intended to kill her - it’s clear to me Mr Merrill saved that young woman’s life by fighting you off.”
Meanwhile, Alistair Merrill has been commended by the judge, who ordered that he be given a £500 reward for his ‘selfless bravery’, which will be handed over privately - or at a public ceremony - depending on what the hero prefers.
The judge said: “Mr Merrill is not a bit player in these proceedings. It’s apparent to me that without much thought for his own safety, he set out to rescue Rachel Hobson from a murderous attack, perpetrated by a man armed with a knife.”
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