R v Ellis Coulson

Facts

The appellant, Ellis Coulson, was 20 years old when, late in the evening on 3 November 2023, he attacked two strangers at a BP petrol station in Leicester. In an entirely unprovoked assault captured on CCTV, he slashed Toyton Pegg's neck, leaving a 10cm cut penetrating 2.3cms into the muscle and exposing the jugular vein, and struck Zach Flynn twice at the neck, causing a 2cm wound penetrating 2.5cms. Both men recovered after stitching. He fled by bicycle, was driven to Bournemouth and handed himself in 11 days later. Charged with attempted murder, he was found unfit to plead and transferred to hospital; once fit, an automatism defence having been ruled out, he pleaded to two counts of wounding with intent contrary to s. 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and one of having a bladed article, with further offences committed for sentence from the magistrates' court comprising two of criminal damage, one burglary and one of interfering with a vehicle contrary to s. 12 of the Theft Act 1968. Three consultant forensic psychiatrists unanimously recommended a hospital order with restrictions. His Honour Judge Timothy Spencer KC nevertheless imposed an extended determinate sentence of 14 years, with a 9-year custodial element, and a hybrid order under s. 45A of the Mental Health Act 1983. He appealed with leave of the single judge.