Graeme Perks: Family of surgeon tell court of stabbing at home

Graeme Perks's intestines and liver were "protruding" from his body after the attack, a court heard

A surgeon's wife and son have described finding him injured after a court heard he was stabbed in the family home.

A Nottingham Crown Court trial has heard Jonathan Peter Brooks stabbed Graeme Perks after abandoning a bid to set the house on fire.

Mr Perks's son Henry said his father's intestines were "protruding" from his body after the attack in Halam Hill, Halam, Nottinghamshire, on 14 January 2021.

Mr Brooks has denied attempted murder.

The court previously heard how Mr Brooks, 58, hated the 66-year-old as he was a witness in disciplinary proceedings, which had begun three days before the stabbing.

Jurors were told consultant surgeon Mr Brooks, armed with a crowbar, cans of petrol, matches and a kitchen knife, broke into Mr Perks's home and doused the ground floor with petrol.

The court heard Mr Perks made his way downstairs after being disturbed by a noise, which then led Mr Brooks to abandon the arson attempt and stab him in the abdomen.

Jonathan Peter Brooks (pictured) denies attempted murder

Talking about the night of the stabbing in a police interview, Henry Perks said he woke up hearing commotion.

He went downstairs but slipped down the bottom few steps, where jurors heard fuel had been poured.

"There were five or 10 litres [of fuel] easily on the floor," he said.

"Once I realised the cans were clearly not ours I moved them into the kitchen. I picked up two kitchen knives.

"Then I moved back into the hallway. My idea being self-defence. We did not know if an intruder was still in the house."

'Vacant, pale and calm'

He added: "My mother tried to put a rug over the petrol. My father came out, he was naked and clutching his belly."

Mr Perks said his father's intestines and part of his liver were "protruding" from his abdomen and he was saying "I have been stabbed, call an ambulance".

"My mother is screaming at this point and so was I. Then he collapsed," he said.

Mr Perks said his father seemed "vacant, pale and calm", and the 30-year-old called 999.

The court heard Mr Perks was stabbed in his own home in Halam Hill

His mother Beverley Perks's police interview was also played to the court.

She said her husband woke her by jumping out of bed and running naked out of the bedroom.

She followed him downstairs, and saw he had been stabbed.

"He was white, pale, lost colour. I couldn't find any pulse," she said.

"He must have grabbed a hand towel to cover the wound which he was clutching.

"All I could see was intestine and liver."

Mr Perks was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham, where he underwent three operations before he was discharged from hospital on 15 February.

Mr Brooks, of Landseer Road, Southwell, denies attempted murder, three counts of arson with intent to endanger life, and possession of a knife in a public place.

The trial continues.