Man jailed after attacking two Bradford police officers with a Gurkha machete

Corbin Samuels struck PC Bradley Smith to the head with the Nepalese khukuri knife causing a wound that needed six stitches.

PC Matthew Johnson was cut to his arm in the struggle to arrest Samuels, 28, at his home at The Grove, Idle, Bradford, on May 20 last year.

Prosecutor Mark Mckone told Bradford Crown Court today that the officers went to the address after the Border Force at Birmingham Airport intercepted two packages addressed to Samuels.

The first parcel, seized on May 8, contained a Bruni Mod blank firing pistol and the second, intercepted four days later, had a quantity of blank firing cartridges in it.

Mr Mckone said the pistol was a prohibited firearm designed to discharge gas and irritant substances. With it was a brush and an operating manual.

On May 20, the two police officers went to Samuels’ flat to pursue enquiries about the pistol and cartridges. He refused to open the door to them and when they forced their way in, he was standing in the hallway with the khukuri knife.

The court heard that a khukuri is a large heavy fighting knife or machete used by the military in Nepal.

Samuels struck PC Smith twice to the head with the weapon. PC Johnson was cut to his arm in the struggle to detain Samuels, who was tasered but still trying to gouge the officer in the eyes.

He made no comment to the police when he was interviewed, the court was told.

Mr Mckone said PC Smith had attended court. He had been left with a large scar to his head with associated numbness. He was off work for a month and his family now felt anxious when he was on duty.

PC Johnson was scarred to his arm and both officers were still dealing with the psychological impact of the attack.

Samuels pleaded guilty to unlawfully and maliciously wounding PC Smith, unlawfully wounding PC Johnson and importing a prohibited weapon.

He was sentenced on a video link to Leeds Prison after being held in custody since the attack.

His barrister, Glenn Parsons, said he had no previous convictions and was described as “kind, caring, gentle and courteous” by those who knew him.

He had mental health problems but a psychiatrist had found that he was fit to plead.

“He was suffering from some breach in his mental state at the time,” Mr Parsons said.

Samuels had autism and a learning disability. He suffered with depression, isolation and low self-worth.

He had worked in a series of jobs since leaving school but family bereavements had triggered heavy drinking and he had stopped taking his medication.

He was deeply remorseful with insight into what he had done.

Judge Jonathan Rose sentenced Samuels to 80 months’ imprisonment for attacking the officers and 16 months to run consecutively for importing the pistol.

He said the officers knocked on his door “politely and respectfully” but Samuels had a cynical distrust of those in authority.

He refused them entry and panicked when they used “measured and proportionate force” to get in.

“That could have been avoided if you had simply opened the door,” Judge Rose said.

The khukuri knife was “a highly dangerous and potentially lethal weapon.”

“There was no reason or justification for you did,” the judge stated.

Because the prison term is more than seven years, Samuels will have to serve two thirds of it.

After the case, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Farrell, of Bradford District Police, said: “We welcome the sentence that has been passed down to Samuels today for a despicable attack on serving police officers who were simply conducting their duties.

“The incident was incredibly distressing for all officers involved, but thankfully they have all made a full recovery from the physical injuries and have received help and support from Bradford District.

“Any assault on a police officer or staff is completely unacceptable and as a Force we will take a robust action to any individual who carries out such needless and vicious acts of violence.”