Impact of St Neots brutal knife attack examined in TV show

Det Supt Michael Branston said the "brutal" murder of Alex Fitzpatrick showed how knife crime changes lives forever

A "brutal, frenzied" knife attack in which an unarmed man was killed shows the "devastating impact" using such weapons can have, police said.

Robert Parkins, 34, was jailed for murder after stabbing Alex Fitzpatrick, 30, at least 17 times in St Neots, Cambridgeshire on 13 October 2019.

The incident is set to feature on Channel 4's 24 Hours in Police Custody.

Det Supt Michael Branston said knife crime stays with people for the rest of their lives.

Parkins was jailed for life in August 2020 and was told he must serve at least 19 years.

24 Hours in Police Custody will show how police tracked down Robert Parkins after he murdered Alex Fitzpatrick

Robert Parkins was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend's ex partner

He had attacked Mr Fitzpatrick, who was his girlfriend's ex-partner, after an argument took place outside her home.

Mr Fitzpatrick was stabbed in the chest, lungs and back, leading the judge at Parkins' trial to label it a "sustained and cruel attack".

24 Hours in Police Custody, which is due to air on Monday, will show how detectives tracked Parkins down after he fled the scene.

Det Supt Branston, who led the investigation for Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said: "This was a brutal, frenzied and sustained attack resulting in the death of a man whose son will now grow up without his father in his life.

Alex Fitzpatrick was repeatedly stabbed outside his former partner's home

"What started out as a dispute escalated to such a degree that Alex lost his life from misuse of a knife.

"The vast majority of people don't carry knives and are never affected by knife crime, however, this show highlights the devastating impact of incidents involving knives which will stay with those around them for the rest of their lives."