Man who attacked five people in Manchester shopping centre sentenced
Raphael Chevelleau will be held in a high-security hospital indefinitely
Last updated 17th Jan 2022
A man who attacked five people with a knife at a shopping centre in Manchester city centre has been sentenced.
Raphael Chevelleau, 43, randomly attacked the people, leaving three shoppers seriously wounded from the attack in October 2019.
Chevelleau had entered the Manchester Arndale shopping centre and, after going to a baby-changing room to take the knife out, began running and stabbed five unsuspecting members of the public.
Throughout the trial, the court heard how Chevelleau had initially planned to stab his ex-girlfriend, but did not have the motivation to travel to her house and instead decided to 'take it out on someone in town'.
Some of the defendant's victims had lucky escapes, being grazed in the ribs and the stomach, while others were cut in the arm and back.
One victim, a 21-year-old woman from Ireland, said that "the man was looking right through me and looking as if he really wanted to hurt me."
During the court trial, it was discovered that the defendant suffers from a schizophrenic mental condition, which had resisted treatment.
At Manchester Crown Court, Chevelleau was told he would be held at a high-security hospital indefinitely, after pleading guilty to the offences.
Speaking before the sentencing, the defendant - who appeared via videolink from Ashworth high-security hospital - admitted what he did was wrong.
"I'm guilty as sin. I should have done a bank instead," he said.