Clacton thug locked up for slicing man with 'zombie knife'

Liam Lofting, 23, severed muscles, arteries and nerves when he brought a fearsome knife down with force onto the right arm of his victim in Clacton.

The attack, carried out with a “zombie-style” blade, was launched without motive, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

In May last year, the victim visited a friend at a block of flats near Clacton seafront in order to collect some items of clothing.

As he entered the flats, he spotted a masked and hooded Lofting and the pair exchanged a brief greeting.

The court heard the victim knew Lofting through a mutual friend.

When the victim left a few minutes later, he was set upon by Lofting, bringing his right arm up to defend himself as the thug swung the blade.

The knife sliced almost clean through his arm.

Brutal - the scene of the horrific attack in Clacton

The victim was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, where his injury was described as “life and limb threatening”.

The cut had severed an artery, nerves and muscle before making a small cut in his right humerus bone.

The victim said: “I have this wariness that has crept into my dreams, so I can’t escape it there.”

Lofting, of North Road, Clacton, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Howard Cohen, mitigating, said his client has no previous convictions and suffered with a number of mental health conditions.

He said: “His mother talks at length about her son and tells the court he suffers from reactive attachment disorder, meaning he is unable to perceive unhealthy relationships and makes friends with people who take advantage of him.”

Read more:

• Mum slams thugs who beat her teenage daughter in random attack
• Colchester dealer stashed 113 wraps of drugs in his buttocks

Mr Cohen said Lofting’s mother also referred to her son falling victim to drug dealers who would abuse his trust.

“There are incidents where they have marched the defendant to a bank to withdraw money from his account, they’ve taken his possessions, his TV and his stereo,” he said.

“Whether or not that background has anything to do with the commission of this offence I do not have the slightest idea, but it is relevant so the court knows as much about him as possible.

“There are references to those drug dealers having made threats to Mr Lofting’s younger sister in the past.”

The court heard Lofting, of North Road, Clacton, had served as a “model prisoner” at HMP Norwich since his remand last summer.

Recorder Sally O’Neill QC deemed Lofting to be a dangerous offender and sentenced him to eight years imprisonment.