Byron Stubbs, 25 was on bail for rape when he launched a violent knife attack on a seven-year-old child and two women in Sunderland, leaving them seriously injured
A 25-year-old with severe mental health issues carried out a horrific stabbing attack on a seven-year-old child and two women while on bail for rape. During the frenzied assault, Byron Stubbs told the young boy he was the devil as he stabbed him in the stomach, arm, and hand, leaving him with serious injuries and trauma.
Stubbs, who had been drinking for several days, also attacked the two women, one of whom was injured while trying to shield the child. Following the attack in Sunderland, Stubbs called 999 and admitted to stabbing three people, stating that he had tried to kill them.
Prosecutor Jolyon Perks told Newcastle Crown Court that one of the adult victims also dialled 999, with the child audible in the background, clearly in immense pain and distress. When police arrived, they found Stubbs outside, covered in blood, with significant blood spatter also found inside the house.
The court heard that Stubbs’ psychosis had been exacerbated by his drinking binge, leading to concerning behaviour about the existence of God and the devil. On the day of the attack, he armed himself with a kitchen knife before launching a surprise assault on one of the women, aiming blows at her throat and face and inflicting a stab wound to her ear.
The assailant also targeted the seven-year-old boy, stabbing him in the abdomen and inflicting a severe wound that penetrated his liver. The child also suffered a stab wound to his arm that reached the bone, another to his forearm, and an injury to his hand, reports Chronicle Live.
Mr Perks stated: “Had the injury to his abdomen penetrated any deeper there would have been a significant risk of fatality.”
Another woman attempted to shield the child from Stubbs’ attack, positioning herself between them. In her brave effort to protect the boy, she too was stabbed.
She sustained a finger wound, scratches on her forearm, a hand injury, a stab wound to her arm, a bruised elbow, and abrasions to her breast and back of the head.
During the horrifying assault, the court heard that Stubbs was telling the child he was the devil.
The mother of the child recounted the devastating impact of the “horrific attack on my son”. She shared: “He was a happy little boy until this happened.”
She revealed that his behaviour had “massively declined” since the incident. She continued: “When someone is behind him, he freaks out. I believe this is due to him being stabbed from behind.”
She further disclosed that he is now “petrified of knives” and finds everyday situations, such as his parents washing dishes, challenging. The distraught mother asked: “How will he get over being stabbed? Seeing my child screaming in agony and terrified after being stabbed is something I will never get out of my head.”
The parents expressed their anguish, saying: “We thought we were going to lose our son and no parent should have to go through that. Our lives changed forever due to the trauma caused by Byron Stubbs.”
In a victim impact statement, one of the women who suffered stab wounds recounted: “I will never forget how terrified I felt.”
It was revealed in court that Stubbs had been sectioned in 2022, but he continued to struggle with addiction, exacerbating his mental health issues. His family voiced their dismay, feeling he had been “let down by the system”.
Stubbs, with no fixed address and a previous conviction for blackmail, pleaded guilty to attempted murder of the child and wounding with intent of the two women. He also confessed to raping a woman after she lost consciousness due to heavy intoxication, later claiming he had recorded the assault before deleting it.
As a result, Stubbs was sentenced to a hospital order with a restriction order, meaning he will be detained in a secure hospital. Additionally, he must register as a sex offender.
In his defence, Josh Normanton stated: “It’s difficult not to be moved by the thought of a seven-year-old in his Christmas pyjamas having to face what he faced. Mr Stubbs is very sorry for what has happened.
“He is suffering from a serious mental illness. He has a psychotic illness, likely to be schizophrenia. It was very unfortunate (the child) was there when this happened. It doesn’t appear to be any sort of premeditated attack on him.”