Court Hears Allegations of Officer Stabbed by Man with Scissors

A court has been informed that a man attempted to kill a Kent Police officer by stabbing him 23 times in the head, face, and neck with a pair of scissors. Robert Jenner is charged with the attempted murder of Sean Quinn, who sustained multiple injuries, including a “gaping wound” across his forehead, during the assault on June 15, 2023, at the defendant’s flat in Maidstone. Maidstone Crown Court was also told that earlier on the same day, the 50-year-old individual had run naked around Mote Park and exposed himself to women. He denies the charges of attempted murder and wounding with intent. Body-worn camera footage was presented at the trial, showing a topless Mr. Jenner barricaded within his flat. After PC Quinn gained entry to his room, the defendant stabbed the officer, who is seen screaming for help. Jurors were informed that Mr. Jenner ceased the assault only when a fellow officer entered the flat and punched him in the head five or six times to compel him to drop the scissors. Pathologist Dr. Virginia Fitzpatrick-Swallow identified 23 distinct injuries, 19 of which were located on PC Quinn’s face, head, and neck. In his opening statement, prosecutor Daniel Stevenson stated that Mr. Jenner “must have been trying to do more than causing really serious injury, he must have been trying to end his life”. Mr. Stevenson explained that Mr. Jenner’s defence was that he was acting to defend himself from what he believed was an unlawful arrest or unlawful entry to his flat, and that he did not intend to kill or seriously injure PC Quinn. The court was informed that following the incident, Mr. Jenner stated: “I didn’t mean to do it”. The court also heard that earlier on June 15, Mr. Jenner had gone to Maidstone Police Station to request the return of his see-through clothing, which officers had previously seized. Officers refused, and Mr. Jenner replied: “I’m going to strip off now”, jurors were told. At 19:50 BST, Kent Police received a report of a man running naked in Mote Park in Maidstone, “nipping in and out of bushes exposing himself to women”. The court heard that officers, including PC Quinn, suspected it was Mr. Jenner, having dealt with him previously, and decided to visit his address, where the confrontation subsequently took place. The trial is ongoing.