Swindon teenager who plunged zombie knife into love rival is jailed for 11 years
A teenager who plunged a ‘zombie knife’ into a love rival so hard it had to be surgically removed has been jailed for 11 years.
Aaron Toward-Parker, 19, was found guilty of wounding with intent to cause GBH at Swindon Crown Court in August.
His victim was stabbed during a fight over a friend's girlfriend, as the incident unfolded at a park near Bexley Walk park in Swindon on 20 January 2019.
Police said accomplice Jack Parfitt had arranged to meet one of the victims in the park to discuss an ongoing dispute involving one of their girlfriends.
Both Toward Parker and Parfitt arrived armed with weapons to assault the victims.
When they arrived, Parfitt shot one of the victims twice in the face using an air gas gun.
Read more on Yahoo News UK
Greta Thunberg says she 'hates small talk' as she addresses Donald Trump tweets
Floating device used to clear plastic from the Pacific Ocean 'finally doing its job’
Seven people killed as Second World War B-17 bomber crashes shortly after takeoff
Meanwhile Toward-Parker, who was 18 at the time, stabbed another victim in the lower back during the horrific attack, causing the knife to become stuck in his buttock.
Toward-Parker was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months at a young offenders institute on Thursday.
Sentencing Judge Peter Crabtree OBE told Toward-Parker his victim had been "remarkably fortunate" to survive the attack.
Co-defendant Parfitt, 18, previously pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and unlawful wounding and was sentenced to a two-year rehabilitation order.
Police released a shocking x-ray of the knife inside the victim following the teenager’s conviction.
Toward-Parker's victim, 21, said in a statement that he had struggled with life since.
He said: “Every aspect of my life has somehow been affected by what happened and some things will never be the same again.
“I missed out on parts of my daughter’s life that I can’t ever get back and my relationship with my partner suffered too.
“So, not only my life has been affected but my family’s too."
Following the conviction, Detective Scott Anger of Swindon CID said: "We hope this case sends a strong message to those, particularly young people, who are thinking about carrying a knife.
“People need to understand the very real dangers that carrying a knife can bring.
“This incident could very easily have been a murder investigation, but thankfully the two victims have gone on to make good recoveries.”