YouTubeA plastic surgeon has been found guilty of attempting to murder a colleague he wanted "out of the way" because he was a witness against him in disciplinary proceedings.
Jonathan Peter Brooks "hated" Graeme Perks, a court in Loughborough heard, due to the proceedings, which had begun three days before the stabbing on 14 January 2021.
Brooks went to Mr Perks's home in Halam, Nottinghamshire, in the early hours and broke in armed with a crowbar, cans of petrol, matches and a knife.
Jurors deliberated for more than 12 hours before finding Brooks guilty of stabbing Mr Perks and dousing the ground floor of the house with petrol with intent to set it on fire.
Brooks was convicted of two counts of attempted murder, one of attempted arson with intent to endanger life and one count of possession of a bladed article.
It can now be reported that Brooks was "voluntarily absent" from the trial, because he was on hunger strike.
Judge Edward Pepperall, addressing the jury, said: "You have listened very carefully to this evidence - you have scrutinised it with care, and you have not thought for one moment that because Dr Brooks was not here he was guilty.
"That was the right approach, and I thank you for it."
BAPRASMr Perks - who had recently retired - was woken by the defendant breaking in through the conservatory and was stabbed in the abdomen after he initially mistook the defendant for his son Henry.
The victim's wife and son raised the alarm after being woken, and Mr Perks was transferred to hospital where he underwent surgery and was not discharged for more than a month.
Mr Perks had a "95% chance of dying", and only survived because of "quick action and amazing surgical skill", the court heard.
Brooks is due to be sentenced on 3 June.
His first trial was adjourned in August 2022 because he was suffering from a medical complication of radiotherapy, which required surgery.
Brooks's hunger strike could not be reported throughout the trial and the jury were told not to speculate about his absence from the dock.
He appeared in court via video-link for the first time in the trial from HMP Norwich on 1 April, in the absence of the jury, and told the judge he wanted to defend himself, that he did not have "sufficient time to prepare" for the trial, and wanted a four-week adjournment.
Brooks, who could be seen lying on the floor during his court appearance because sitting in his wheelchair made him "feel unwell", said: "I would rather be dead than in prison so I continued with my hunger strike. I have had enough of being in prison.
"I don't particularly want to die but if my choice is between incarceration and death, I would rather be dead than incarcerated."
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