A knife-obsessed thug told a 999 call that he was "like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" as he stabbed at his bedbound girlfriend's face. Thomas Britnell chillingly told the emergency operator that "one side of him was telling him to stab" his severely disabled partner while the other was "telling him to stop".
Police then burst into their home to find him holding a steak knife to her throat moments after she had dodged a hail of blows from the blade, which he instead repeatedly plunged into a pillow beneath her head. The "harrowing" episode only added to a disturbing criminal history, which has seen him stab another of his exes and been caught carrying weapons in public a staggering 10 times.
Court hears of 'harrowing' 999 call
Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Friday August 14, that Britnell had been in a relationship with his victim, who the ECHO has chosen not to name, for around six years and was also her carer, with spinal issues having left her bedbound and otherwise reliant on a wheelchair. Then, at around 1.30pm on March 20 this year, the 40-year-old defendant was said to have dialled 999 after suffering a fall.
But Iain Criddle, prosecuting, described how Britnell, formerly of Haven Road in Fazakerley, subsequently threatened to kill himself during this 20-minute call, adding: "It is a frankly harrowing call. The fear which the complainant shows can be heard."
The defendant can be heard, for example, saying that he is like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. He says that the Dr Jekyll side of him is telling him to stab the complaint, and the Mr Hyde side is telling him to stop. It is a harrowing and disturbing call to listen to.
Knife plunged into pillow
Britnell was said to have armed himself with a steak knife from the kitchen during the course of this call before "charging towards" his girlfriend in a bedroom where she was lying on the bed. He then held the weapon to her throat while shouting threats to kill both himself and her.
Mr Criddle told the court: "Not only did he hold the knife to her throat, he plunged the knife towards her head on several occasions. She says she had to move her head out of the way. The knife struck the pillow next to her head on numerous occasions."
A picture of this pillow, seen by the ECHO, showed somewhere in the region of a dozen puncture marks within the bedding. Police attended the address to find Britnell "straddling her on the bed", after which he had to be restrained using incapacitant spray.
Mr Criddle detailed how she had attempted to take her own life following the assault and said of a statement which she had written to the court: "She really thought that her life was coming to end. She was defenceless against him. She was not able to fight him off. She has never felt more vulnerable."
Previous convictions and sentencing
Britnell's criminal record shows 10 previous convictions for possession of weapons and knives between 2006 and 2016, as well as six for violent offences. He was also jailed for five months for wounding in 2013 after he stabbed another partner.
In May last year, Britnell was then convicted of battery and stalking against his latest victim. He received a community order and a restraining order, which required him to leave her home when asked to do so, as a result, but he went on to breach the latter twice during the course of 2025.
Charles Lander, defending, said on his behalf: "Nothing I say seeks to minimise the seriousness of these offences. It is a hard listen. It is a difficult listen. It is a very graphic listen. It is clearly terrifying for her. The case speaks for itself. Anyone listening to that 999 call can understand."
"As your honour knows, it is the defendant who is initially ringing the authorities, seeking help for himself. Over the preceding few months, there are a number of incidents of him at railway tracks, various incidents of him threatening to kill himself. This all culminates in this particular incident. Matters take a terrible turn, as one can graphically hear."
His intention is to be a mentor in prison. He has been given a trusted position in prison. The court should not forget that this defendant did a lot of good for [the victim]. He has had a number of months to reflect on his behaviour. He is clearly a changed individual.
There has been an improvement in his mental health. Clearly, there is a background of alcohol use. Thankfully, he did not cause any injury. I am not minimising what a terrifying incident it would be.
Britnell admitted making threats with an offensive weapon in a private place and making threats to kill. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a black Castore t-shirt and glasses, he was jailed for 28 months.
A new restraining order will also prevent him from contacting his former partner indefinitely. Sentencing, Judge Garrett Byrne said: "She is, and was at the time, physically vulnerable, being bedbound due to a spinal disability. You acted as her carer."
"You were undergoing an episode of mental health crisis. As a result, you telephoned 999. The conversation commenced by you asking for help due to your poor mental health and suicidal ideation.
"However, the incident progressed with you becoming angry at [the victim]. You armed yourself with a knife. You ran at her as she was prone on the bed. You held the knife against her throat and said that you were going to kill her.
"You stabbed downwards towards her head on numerous occasions. Happily, she was able to move her head out of the way, and you ended up stabbing the bed itself several times.
"It is clear that, during the course of this protracted incident, she was completely terrified. When police officers arrived, you were lying on top of her, pinning her down, still holding the knife to her throat.
"She thought that she was going to die that day. She speaks of being defenceless at the time and never feeling so vulnerable in her life. This was not the first time that you had assaulted her."
