Pensioner jailed for murder bid

The judge said it was 'chance' Fairbrass' victim had not died

A pensioner who tried to murder a prosecution witness in a rape trial has been given a nine-year prison sentence.

George Fairbrass, 71, of Pembroke Dock, west Wales, threatened the alleged rape victim and then tried to strangle her mother to stop her from giving evidence against him.

A jury later cleared Fairbrass of rape, but the pensioner was convicted of attempted murder.

After the attack on the mother, a police officer had heard Fairbrass say that he would rather "go to prison for murder than rape".

The alleged victim, 21, and her mother had fled their home following the alleged rape and moved 300 miles away to Portsmouth.

But Fairbrass, tracked them down and turned up at their home armed with a baseball bat.

Huw Rees, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court , how the mother approached her flat in Portsmouth on 29 March and heard footsteps behind her.

Fairbrass, who had been waiting outside, pushed her through the door and told her to put on the television and draw the curtains.

Fairbrass was jailed at Swansea Crown Court

He took out a baseball bat from a carrier bag, before strangling the woman until she was unconscious.

Before she passed out, Fairbrass had told the woman that she would not leave the room alive.

The court heard that the woman's next memory was waking up in a chair with her face and clothes covered in blood.

Mr Rees said that Fairbrass left her alone, unconscious and without medical attention.

He added that the nature and ferocity of the attack was such that his intention must have been to kill her.

Police found her "bleeding profusely" from a large open wound to the forehead.

Pool of blood

She had other cuts to the head and her neck was red.

Forensic officers found blood on the front door, splashes of blood on the stairwell and a pool of blood in the sitting room.

Mr Rees said Fairbrass was arrested shortly afterwards.

Police officers noticed he had scratches on both sides of his face and there were blood stains on his jacket and trousers.

Fairbrass was taken to a holding cell, where a police officer wrote on the palm of his hand that he suddenly said: "I'd rather go to prison for murder than rape any day."

Several weeks before the attack on the mother, Fairbrass had approached the daughter and forced her to write a letter to solicitors withdrawing her rape allegation.

Fairbrass was convicted of attempted murder, witness intimidation and assault on the daughter.

Sentencing Fairbrass, Judge John Diehl said it was "pure chance" the mother had not died.