Neighbour jailed after knife attack in Cambridge
When police arrived at his house on Hawkins Road, Phillip Sheath, 70, told officers he'd been having a feud with the victim for over 20 years
Last updated 4th Feb 2025
A man has been jailed after stabbing his neighbour with a carving knife and shouting, “I am going to kill you,” during a dispute that had lasted for 20 years.
Philip Sheath, 70, of Hawkins Road, Cambridge, attacked his neighbour, a man in his 60s, on 14 November last year after throwing items into his garden. When the victim went to complain, Sheath opened his door and tried to stab him with a seven-inch knife. The victim fell backwards onto a concrete path as Sheath repeatedly shouted, “I am going to kill you.”
The knife only pierced the victim’s outer clothing, causing cuts, but he also suffered broken ribs. His wife pulled him away, and they only realised he had been stabbed once they returned home.
Sheath called 999 after the attack, telling the operator he had carried out the stabbing and explaining the history of the dispute. He told police he was sober and not mentally ill, remaining on the call until officers arrived. He was arrested at the scene, and the knife was found on a coffee table.
Sheath admitted attempted grievous bodily harm and was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court on 30 January to three years and 10 months in prison. He was also given a ten-year restraining order.
Detective Sergeant Christian Jackman said: “Although there had been issues between Sheath and the victim’s family for multiple years, this incident was extremely sudden and unprovoked.”
He added: “Sheath showed an extreme amount of violence, and the victim has experienced a terrifying ordeal which will stay with him throughout his life.”