Man Detained For Cleaver Attack
England - A man who attacked his elderly neighbour with a meat cleaver has been detained indefinitely.
Lee Cotterill, 23, hacked at the face, neck and head of 77-year-old Lillian Lovatt more than 70 times, Chester Crown Court heard.
To the surprise of doctors, she managed to survive the attack at her home in Bollington, Cheshire, the court heard.
Cotterill, a schizophrenic, admitted attempted murder and was given an indefinite hospital order.
He will be held at psychiatric unit at the Scott Clinic, Merseyside.
The court heard that some of the blows Cotterill inflicted on Mrs Lovatt fractured her skull. Her hand was so badly damaged that all four fingers had to be amputated.
His 16-year-old girlfriend, who helped him to clean up blood and wash his clothes after the attack, admitted helping him and will be sentenced next week.
Robert Trevor-Jones, prosecuting, told the court Cotterill lived with his grandparents just two doors from Mrs Lovatt.
He said: "The defendant described Lillian Lovatt as being 'like his own gran'.
"On February 11 he called at her home, armed with a meat cleaver he had bought some three months earlier.
"Mrs Lovatt had known the defendant all his life and she felt safe enough to open the door."
Cotterill made out he had seen a prowler and urged the pensioner to go outside with him.
"As she went towards her front door to let him out, he grabbed her, put his hand over her mouth and began attacking her with the cleaver," Mr Trevor-Jones said.
Cotterill and his girlfriend denied knowledge of the attack but he later confessed to a cell mate that he wanted to steal jewellery from Mrs Lovatt after seeing a similar plot on television.
Mr Justice Roderick Evan said: "In view of Mrs Lovatt's remarkable strength of character, it might be putting it a bit high to say the remaining part of her life has been destroyed, but it has certainly been blighted."
Picture of victim here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...er/6160393.stm