No release for screwdriver attacker

A MAN who repeatedly stabbed a headteacher with a screwdriver in her driveway will stay in hospital after she told a judge she fears he will attack her again given the chance.

Mark Pierson, 55, launched a the attack on Gillian Kay in April 2013 when she stepped out of her car on her return from work.

He landed blows to her face, head and neck as she fell to the ground and only stopped when a local builder witnessed the struggle as he drove by and jumped out of his vehicle to intervene.

The defendant, who lived with his parents next door in Shaw Road, Rochdale, had long-running issues with Mrs Kay and her family and had delusional beliefs they were persecuting him.

He had previously threatened to kill Mrs Kay while holding a hammer, and in 2010 was convicted of dangerous driving and sentenced to a community order after she dived for cover when he drove his car towards her as she walked her dog.

Following the screwdriver attack, the paranoid schizophrenic was unfit to stand trial but was sentenced in February 2014 to an indefinite hospital order after a jury made a finding of fact that he had wounded Mrs Kay.

However, he was judged mentally fit last year and the case was relisted as he went on to plead guilty to the wounding charge.

Mrs Kay attended his fresh sentencing at Manchester Crown Court yesterday as she sat in the public gallery out of sight from Pierson, who was in the dock flanked by hospital staff.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, she explained Pierson had left her with “lifelong physical and mental scars”.

Judge Patrick Field QC said he can only be released if the Secretary of State is satisfied he no longer poses a danger but that was “unlikely”.