Jersey man cleared of attempted murder in St Helier.

Dos Santos (pictured right) leaving court on Friday

A man on trial for the attempted murder of a woman in St Helier last year has been cleared after a jury failed to reach a verdict.

Luis Abreu Dos Santos was arrested last October after firearms officers were called to Valley Road in St Helier.

A knife, and what was described in court as a 'meat cleaver' were recovered at the scene.

Mr Dos Santos will now be sentenced for the lesser charge of grave and criminal assault, which he admitted in December.

Mr Dos Santos had denied prosecution claims that he had set out to murder the woman.

He claimed that he had intended to use the knives to scare her, but that she had been hurt during a physical struggle.

The victim was found with stab wounds on Valley Road

Police had told the trial they were forced to use tasers after Mr Dos Santos initially resisted arrest.

The court heard that on the day of the assault the accused had an argument with the woman, who sustained serious injuries to her head, arm and neck.

Dos Santos pleaded guilty to a charge of grave and criminal assault in December and was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing in June.

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