Man jailed for knife attack on sister

A man who "bullied" his sister for several months before attacking her with a knife so violently the walls of her east London flat were spattered with blood has been jailed for 11 years.

At Southwark Crown Court, Michael Foran, 33, from Bow, east London, admitted attacking his sister Maxine Starr, 29, on 1 December 2002.

The court had heard Foran turned on his sister when she told him to leave her Tower Hamlets flat when he began arguing with his girlfriend.

Maxine Starr received extensive treatment in hospital but was left with scarring which "preyed on her mind".

She later killed herself with a drugs overdose.

One of my children has killed themselves and the other one I won't be seeing for a long time Angela Starr

The court heard that Foran had been stealing from his sister, pawning her jewellery and cashing her benefit vouchers to spend on drink and drugs.

Sentencing him, Judge Geoffrey Rivlin QC said he had treated his sister over a period of months with "nothing but contempt and brutality."

He said: "You took a long-bladed kitchen knife and stabbed and slashed her over and over again in the chest, back, legs and arms, causing terrible injuries to her hands, in particular her fingers.

"You could easily have killed her, so frenzied and violent was this attack."

The judge said Foran had also threatened to kill the first police officer to arrive on the scene, Pc Paula Cooper, 27.

Riot police

Pc Cooper had tried to administer first aid to his victim when he advanced on her, brandishing the knife he had used in the attack.

She retreated outside as riot police arrived. Foran gave himself up after a short stand-off.

Outside the court, the pair's mother, Angela Starr, said: "One of my children has killed themselves and the other one I won't be seeing for a long time.

"I leave here with nothing. But I'm happy that the matter has come to a conclusion as I can try to get on with the rest of my life now."