A Bermondsey man who brutally attacked his girlfriend with a rolling pin and granite pestle just months after repeatedly stabbing his friend with scissors has been jailed.
Patrick Berry, 51, of Balaclava Road, has been locked up for nine years with an extended licence totalling twelve years after attacking his friend and girlfriend in their homes.
The first attack took place in the early hours of December 1, 2016, after Berry and his girlfriend at the time went to his friend’s home in Bermondsey following an evening at the pub.
The friend complimented Berry’s girlfriend on her clothing and then went into another room.
Berry followed the victim into the room and kicked him in the back knocking him to the floor.
He then sat on the victim’s chest, grabbed a pair of nearby nail scissors and stabbed the victim repeatedly in the face with them and tried to stab him in the eyes.
The victim managed to struggle free and turned onto his front. Berry then started to stab the victim in the back. Berry then stood up, stamped on the victim and hit him with a chair before leaving the premises with his girlfriend.
The attack lasted for about 20 minutes and resulted in the victim losing consciousness and requiring hospital treatment.
Berry was arrested on December 19, 2016, and gave a no comment interview. He was charged the following day.
Months later, at about 3pm on March 29, 2017, Berry went over to his new girlfriend’s house in Bermondsey.
He started talking to her about his upcoming trial in regards to the incident on December 1 and when she said she did not want to talk about it Berry “flipped out” and carried out a sustained attack on her that lasted for about two hours.
The ordeal took place in the victim’s kitchen and saw Berry beat the victim repeatedly in the face and head with a granite pestle and rolling pin.
The victim fell to the floor and the attack continued with the victim losing consciousness while Berry repeatedly kicked and stamped on her. He also sat on her chest preventing her from being able to breathe.
She received a total of 45 centimetres of wound to her scalp requiring 21 staples and four stitches to her head. She also had significant bruising to her face and legs.
Berry was arrested on March 30, 2017. He denied attacking the victim and said that she had tried to attack him. He was charged on April 3, 2017.
Judge Clarke sentenced Berry to nine years’ imprisonment, with an extended licence totalling twelve years for grievous bodily harm with intent and 40 months’ imprisonment for grievous bodily harm, to run concurrently at Blackfriars Crown Court on Tuesday.
He was also handed a restraining order preventing him from contacting either victim for an indefinite period.
During sentencing Judge Clarke classified Berry as a “dangerous offender” and described the crime scene photos from his female victim’s home as “a scene from The Oresteia” – an Ancient Greek tragedy – due to the amount of blood.