Man stabbed girlfriend 32 times

The paranoid schizophrenic admitted attempted murder

A teenager who stabbed his girlfriend 32 times has been detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.

Edward Bell, 19, of Hertford, tricked the girl into believing he wanted to film a fake attack on his mobile phone, St Albans Crown Court was told.

The victim, who was aged 15 at the time, agreed to be blindfolded and tied as part of a "bondage" scene before Bell attacked her in December 2006.

The paranoid schizophrenic, of Sandy Close, admitted attempted murder.

The girl was attacked at Waterford Heath nature reserve in Hertford.

Bell told police he attacked the girl because of an unfounded rumour that she had given him Aids, the court heard.

Ann Evans, prosecuting, told how the victim was attending a boarding school which provided special needs, at the time of the attack.

It seems to be miraculous that she survived and has recovered Ann Evans, prosecuting

She told how Bell, armed with a kitchen knife, drove the victim and his friend James Galloway, to the nature reserve, where the victim agreed to be tied up for a "type of bondage thing".

"Once she was blindfolded she felt a blow as Bell began a frenzied attack on her," Miss Evans said.

"Her abiding memory is of being repeatedly stabbed and seeing the light from the mobile phone in the background," Miss Evans said.

After the attack the girl heard the pair laughing as they fled.

Shortly afterwards Bell, with blood on his hands went to Hertford police station and said, "I went crazy, I lost it and I killed her", before telling officers where she could be found.

The girl was found, taken to hospital and her parents were told she was not expected to survive, Miss Evans said.

'Premeditated brutality'

She had wounds to her neck, head, face back, chest and hands and punctured lungs.

"It seems to be miraculous that she survived and has recovered," Miss Evans said.

Bell has since been diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

Passing sentence Judge Michael Baker described the attack as an act of "premeditated brutality".

Bell was made the subject of a section 37 order under the Mental Health Act with a section 41 order, detaining him without limit as to time.

Outside court, Det Insp Steve Healy from the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit said: "This attack is one of the most horrific I have come across in almost three decades of policing."

Earlier this year Mr Galloway who is 18 and from Ware, went on trial charged with attempted murder but the jury was discharged and the case against Mr Galloway was later dropped.