Man Imprisoned for Knife Attack and Bow-and-Arrow Threat

An individual described as a “coward” has received a 29-year prison sentence for stabbing a man and issuing death threats involving a bow and arrow. Lancashire Police reported that Jacob Gill, aged 34, initiated the assault at the residence of the victim, a man in his 60s, in Wheelton, Chorley, during the previous Christmas period. The victim, who succeeded in recording a segment of the incident on his mobile phone, stated that he believed his life was in peril during the “horrific” and “terrifying” assault. Jurors at Preston Crown Court convicted Gill of attempted murder, leading to his imprisonment on Friday. He is mandated to serve an additional five years under an extended licence, having been classified as a dangerous offender. According to police accounts, Gill informed the man, “I’ve come here to kill you,” prior to inflicting a stab wound to his arm and making multiple attempts to stab him in the stomach and head. The assault, which commenced around 19:25 GMT on 23 December and extended onto the driveway, involved the victim telling Gill he was bleeding to death, to which the assailant responded: “That’s the plan.” Gill absconded from the scene following the intervention of a neighbour, who had been alerted by the victim’s calls for assistance. The neighbour attempted to control the bleeding with a makeshift tourniquet before law enforcement officers administered lifesaving first aid to the victim. In a statement presented to the court, the victim, who sustained severe arm injuries, declared: “At the time of the attack I truly thought that my life was about to end there and then.” He further conveyed: “The emotion and fear of realising that you are about to die in such an horrific, unjustifiable, brutal and violent manner was absolutely terrifying.” The victim added: “My life has been destroyed since that evening and I do not know if I will ever fully recover.” Detective Constable Josh Hodges characterized Gill as “clearly a dangerous individual” who had perpetrated an “incredibly violent” and “cowardly” assault. Hodges expressed that he had “little doubt that without the brave actions of the victim’s neighbour and the armed response officers, the victim would have died.” He commended the victim for the bravery demonstrated during the entirety of the trial. Judge Robert Altham determined that Gill is a dangerous offender, which entails that he will be subject to an extended licence upon his release from incarceration. Gill is required to complete two-thirds of his 29-year sentence before becoming eligible for parole consideration.