Domestic abuser jailed for frenzied knife attack on partner at Burnham Beeches

A domestic abuser who lured his partner to a secluded spot in Burnham Beeches before carrying out a frenzied knife attack will serve at least 10 years in jail.

Robert Reardon, 31, of High Street, Lowestoft, tricked his long-term boyfriend Damon Hughes into joining him for a picnic at the scenic woodland on May 23.

While walking in the beauty spot, Reardon asked his partner to borrow his phone.

Mr Hughes, 27, later spotted that Reardon had attempted to send a text message to his partner’s mother suggesting the victim had suicidal thoughts, which was untrue.

The message had been an attempt to cover up the Suffolk man’s ‘pre-meditated’ attack but it failed to send.

Moments after Mr Hughes spotted the message, Reardon launched a prolonged attack which saw him slice his partner’s neck with a steak knife and bludgeon him over the head with a heavy candle.

Beaten and bloodied, Mr Hughes tried to escape but was dragged to the ground where Reardon then gouged at his gushing neck wound.

He eventually managed to flee before a Good Samaritan dog walker spotted him and alerted the emergency services.

Police launched a manhunt to find the suspect and discovered Reardon hiding out in the dense woodland the following morning. He denied any memory of what had taken place the previous day.

Reardon had been due to stand trial at Aylesbury Crown Court in October but pleaded guilty to attempted murder and knife possession before the hearing got underway.

He appeared at the same court for sentencing today.

Judge Jonathan Cooper told the court there had been a ‘significant degree’ of pre-meditation in Reardon’s attack.

This was highlighted by the 31-year-old poaching a steak knife from the hotel the couple had been staying at and taking it to the scene as well as the failed attempt to message the victim’s mother pretending he had been suffering suicidal thoughts.

“The sinister part of this is you were thinking of your own future before you had extinguished Damon’s,” Judge Cooper said.

The court heard how the pair had been together for three years but their relationship had grown strained.

During the course of their relationship, Mr Hughes had reported being attacked by his partner, Judge Cooper said.

On the day of the murder plot, the couple had travelled down from their home in Lowestoft to attend a medical appointment at Wexham Park Hospital.

Later that day, Reardon enacted his murderous plan by inviting his partner for a walk in Burnham Beeches.

While Reardon offered no explanation for his attack, Judge Cooper said he appeared to be driven by revenge which potentially stemmed from Reardon’s own ill-health.

“You appeared to have been driven by a motive that was revenge on your partner.

“It appears to have been the conjunction of your own ill health and what you perceived to be Damon Hughes’ indifference to it.”

The court heard how during the course of the frenzied attack, Reardon had shouted ‘If I’m going to die, you’re going to come with me’.

Mr Hughes suffered nine stab wounds in the attack and has been left with physical and psychological damage, including long-term issues with his vocal chords.

A victim impact statement read out in court on behalf of Mr Hughes said he is often asked about the visible scars he has been left with which vividly reminds him of the ‘immense pain’ he suffered at the hands of his former partner.

Judge Cooper told the court he had taken into account the defendant had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as a child.

While he recognised Reardon had suffered from psychological distress, this had not impacted his ability think rationally, the judge added.

“You understood the situation very well. You knew what you were doing and you knew it was wrong,” Judge Cooper said.

He handed Reardon an extended sentence of 20 years. A minimum of 10 years must be served until he can be considered for parole.

If released, he will serve the remainder of his sentence on licence.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Connor Townsend, from the Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “This was a truly horrific and frenzied attack by Reardon on somebody whom he knew well.

“There was absolutely no excuse for this violent and despicable attack, and it is remarkable that his victim survived this sustained assault.”

He added: “I would like to pay tribute to his victim, who has suffered a horrific ordeal and has supported our investigation from the outset.

“I hope that now his attacker has been convicted and is facing a lengthy prison sentence, that he can find a way to put this behind him and move on with his life.

“Domestic abuse and violence will never be tolerated by Thames Valley Police.”