Pensioner guilty of attempted murder with meat cleaver in Chelmsford
Chacko Abraham Thenakarayil, 71, of Hornbeam Gardens, is scheduled for sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court next month
A Chelmsford man has been convicted of attempted murder following a serious assault involving a meat cleaver. Chacko Abraham Thenakarayil, 71, of Hornbeam Gardens, was found guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court after a two-week trial.
The incident occurred on 6 May 2023, when Essex Police were called to Hornbeam Gardens around 9 p.m. in response to a report of a man being seriously assaulted. According to police, Thenakarayil attacked the victim by striking him with a meat cleaver in the back of the head and attempted to stab him with a knife. The victim managed to disarm Thenakarayil and fled to seek help from neighbors.
Neighbors who came to the victim's aid found Thenakarayil in the street holding a third knife, which they successfully removed from him. The victim was transported to a hospital after losing approximately 500ml of blood and sustaining a skull fracture.
Prior to his arrest, Thenakarayil allegedly indicated his intent to kill the victim, telling witnesses, "I’m not finished." He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, charged the following day, and remanded into custody.
Detective Sergeant Louis Moore praised the bravery of the individuals involved, stating, "I want to commend the bravery of those affected by the actions of Chacko Abraham Thenakarayil. This has been a complex and emotional investigation, and Thenakarayil’s actions have had a devastating impact on the victim and his family. I also have to commend the bravery of the neighbors who managed to remove the weapon from Thenakarayil before he could harm anyone else."
Moore added, "Thenakarayil had no reason to assault this man and put his life in danger, and the jury, consisting of twelve citizens who heard the evidence, agreed with this."
Thenakarayil is scheduled for sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court on 16 July 2024.