Man jailed for 13 years after stabbing that left victim paralysed and in a coma

'I don't know how much he will improve and what our life will be like,' victim's girlfriend tells court

Jermaine McDonald, who has been jailed for 13 years (Metropolitan Police)

A man whose violent attack was so severe his victim is still in hospital seven months later has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Homeless Jermaine McDonald, 26, subjected the man to an ordeal his girlfriend described as “the most terrible thing I have ever experienced”.

McDonald approached the 31-year-old victim as he was sat with a female friend on the grass at Dulwich Park, London, and in an unprovoked attack which left his victim paralysed, stabbed him in the head and chest with a screwdriver.

He then proceeded to kick him while he was lying on the ground.

The assault left the victim in intensive care for six weeks and he was placed in an artificial coma for 16 days.

He then had to use a ventilator and doctors did not know whether he would ever breathe by himself again, police said.

Several months on, the victim continues to suffer from reduced mobility and severe memory loss.

The victim’s girlfriend told Inner London Crown Court of the devastating impact the attack has had on their lives.

She said: “Watching him lying in a hospital bed, connected to machines, sedated and paralysed is the most terrible thing I have ever experienced.

“He is still often confused and struggles to remember where he is, why, what he has just done and even whether I have been to visit him. He fully comprehends how his situation is not normal but he can’t remember why.

“Perhaps the hardest thing at the moment is the uncertainty about our future. Every day, I am so grateful that he is still with us and that he can communicate and move and his personality is still in many ways like before.”

But she added the prognosis was uncertain and that she may have to give up work.

“I don’t know how much he will improve and what our life will be like. I don’t know if he will ever permanently remember where he is or what happened. I don’t know if I am going to have to make a choice between work and my career or becoming a carer. I do know that things have changed and we can only move forward.

“Even if this was the result of an accident, it would still be unbearable. The fact it was cause by the violent act of another human being makes it so much harder.”

The court heard the motivation for the brutal attack appeared to have been robbery, though there was no explanation for the extreme level of violence used.

The woman’s handbag was stolen, and her bank cards later used by McDonald, who spent less than £100 on cigarettes and alcohol in three contactless transactions.

Leonard Herman, CPS London South reviewing lawyer, said: “This was an unprovoked attack in the middle of the day on a defenceless man.

“McDonald claimed he acted in self-defence after an altercation but the prosecution presented evidence from witnesses who described how he had been acting aggressively beforehand and had approached the victims himself.

“We were also able to highlight the strong forensic evidence in court showing the victim’s blood on McDonald’s clothing as well as on the weapon he used to inflict injury. McDonald was also caught on CCTV using a bank card belonging to the female victim to buy alcohol after the incident, showing his blasé attitude towards his actions.

“This was a violent attack by a clearly dangerous man who has left his victim with life-changing injuries. He will now serve a prison term where he will no longer be a threat to the public.”

McDonald was found guilty on 20 October at Inner London Crown Court of assault causing grievous bodily harm, robbery and attempted robbery. He was jailed on Friday.