Man guilty of 'unprovoked' double stabbing in village

A man who stabbed two people in an "unprovoked" attack in a village in Leicestershire has been convicted following a trial.

Leicestershire Police said Cohen Barley, 24, stabbed two men through a window while they were sitting in a parked car in Station Road, Quorn, on 23 April.

Following a trial at Leicester Crown Court, Barley was found guilty on Tuesday of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place and of wounding with intent. He was found not guilty of attempted murder.

Barley, ofHawthorn Road in Mountsorrel, is due to be sentenced on 17 December.

The force said Barley approached the car in Station Road and, after taking out a knife, stabbed the two men through the open window.

The men were able to get out of the car and run down the road, police added.

Officers were called to the scene by members of the public who had witnessed the stabbing, but Barley had fled in a nearby vehicle.

One of the men suffered a serious stab wound to his hand, the force said, as well as an injury to his stomach. The second man, who also left the scene before police arrived, sustained a puncture wound to the side of his body.

Both required treatment in hospital but have since been discharged. Police said there was a third person in the car who escaped without injury.

Barley was identified as a suspect, but after fleeing the scene he evaded police for four days - sleeping in hotels under different people's names, the force added.

Following a number of inquiries carried out by detectives, police said officers found him at an address in Quorn where he was arrested.

Det Con Amy Aplin said: "This was an unprovoked attack in broad daylight on a busy street with lots of people around.

"I am in no doubt that when Barley approached the car, he intended to cause serious injury to the men inside.

"I would like to thank the members of the public who quickly came to the aid of the victim at the scene and assisted before paramedics arrived."

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