July 19, 2010 6.30 pm This story is over 163 months old

High risk stabber jailed for 10 years

High risk: A man who stabbed his partner 11 times and left him for dead was sentenced to 10 years in jail for his offence.

A man who stabbed his girldfirend’s ex partner at the time 11 times and left him for dead was sentenced today to ten years in prison. Craig Smith (pictured) was found guilty of attempted murder at the Lincoln Crown Court for stabbing Anthony Dawidowski.

In the early hours of March 4 2009, police were called to Saxon Street, Lincoln, where they discovered Dawidowski (54), suffering from serious knife wounds. Dawidowski was stabbed 11 times, and he was taken to the Lincoln County Hospital, where he underwent a series of operations, before spending a significant time in the intensive care unit.

Smith (27), handed himself over to the Lincoln Police Station the next day, as police launched an attempted murder investigation. He was interviewed, charged and remanded in custody at Lincoln Prison. Smith was found guilty of attempted murder and senteneced on July 19 at the Lincoln Crown Court.

Police found that Dawidowski was effectively left for dead by his partner after being stabbed, as the offender took the victim’s telephones and he had no means to contact the emergency services. Dawidowski survived and is now on the road to full recovery.

Craig Smith is ‘high risk’

Judge Heath, handling the case, said Smith is considered to pose a high risk towards his partners and ex partners as well as posing a significant risk to members of the public in the future. Judge Heath imposed a sentence of imprisonment for public protection. He will serve at least ten years in prison before he can apply for parole.

“This was a difficult case to investigate from the beginning as there were only two people present when the attack took place, said Detective Inspector Suzanne Davies of Lincoln CID, who led the investigation. “We are very pleased with the sentence handed down by Judge Heath this afternoon.

“Smith can be an extremely violent person and the fact that the victim survived is no thanks to him, but for a visit from one of his friends and the skills of medical staff Dawidowski might well have died,” Davies added.

Source, Photo: Lincolnshire Police