Jail for man who attacked woman with machete

A man who attacked a woman with a machete has been jailed.

Paul Oliver, 23, of Westcott Street, Stockton-on-Tees, was visiting Peterborough with the woman and another man on 22 July last year. 

The three were first seen in Ledham, Orton Brimbles, at about 1pm. Members of the public reported hearing an argument and seeing Oliver punching the woman in the back of a car. The woman managed to escape before the two men drove off, leaving her behind. 

Later that day, at about 9.20pm, Oliver and the man and woman returned to Ledham and were arguing again. Oliver started waving a machete around and sliced the woman’s arm before forcing her into the car and driving off, leaving the second man behind. 

The woman was able to escape the moving car and when police arrived they found her bleeding heavily and took her to hospital. She had a broken arm and required surgery. 

Oliver drove around for a while before abandoning the car and stealing a bicycle, which he later left by some woodland. Officers found him at about midnight hiding in a nearby garden. 

Last Thursday (3 May) Oliver was sentenced to nine years for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at Cambridge Crown Court after pleading guilty earlier in the year. 

He was also sentenced to two years for out-of-county offences. These were 10 months for possession with intent to supply class B drugs, four months for affray and 10 months for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, all to run consecutively. The nine years is to be served once this sentence is complete.