UPDATE: |Plastic surgeon stabbed and tried to burn down house of fellow doctor he wanted “out of the way” News

He cycled to the victim’s house wearing camouflage gear and armed with a crowbar, petrol, matches and a knife

A plastic surgeon has been found guilty of attempting to murder a fellow doctor he wanted “out of the way” by stabbing him after a thwarted plan to set his house alight.

Jurors deliberated for more than 12 hours at Leicester Crown Court, sitting in Loughborough, before finding Peter Brooks, 61, guilty of knifing Graeme Perks, 69, and dousing the ground floor of his house with petrol with intent to set it on fire.

The court heard how the former consultant, who specialised in burns and plastics, cycled through snowy conditions to Mr Perks’ home in Halam, near Southwell, Nottinghamshire, in the early hours of January 14 2021, during a Covid lockdown.

The defendant travelled to his fellow doctor’s house wearing camouflage gear and armed with a crowbar, petrol, matches and a knife.

The jury was told that Mr Perks, who is considered one of the “most highly regarded and respected surgeons in the profession”, provided evidence in disciplinary proceedings against Brooks, who faced potentially losing his job with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust back in 2015.

Mr Perks, who was 65 at the time, had retired the month before the attack but suffered “extremely life-threatening” injuries to his liver, intestines and pancreas, and was given a 95% chance of death.

At around 4:15am on the night of the incident, the victim was awoken by the sound of Brooks smashing through his conservatory, and went downstairs where he noticed his feet “felt a bit damp” from the petrol before he felt a “blow to his body”, the jury heard.

Mr Perks suffered puncture wounds to his abdomen and chest as a result of the violent attack carried out by his former colleague.

The court was told Brooks had also thrown petrol up the stair walls of the £800,000 property while Mr Perks’ wife and youngest son were sleeping upstairs, before fleeing the scene.

The retired surgeon was left “fighting for his life” following the attack, and underwent surgery at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

The defendant was found asleep on a garden bench later that morning when he was taken to hospital for injuries to his hand, and was arrested.

Mr Brooks was “voluntarily absent” from his month-long trial because he was on hunger strike and said he would “rather be dead than incarcerated”.

He also sacked his lawyers before the trial and was unrepresented in the case.

The consultant was convicted on Monday of two counts of attempted murder – one for the intended use of fire and the other for the stabbing – attempted arson with intent to endanger life, and possession of a knife in a public place.

Brooks’ convictions follow a four-year series of legal hearings, including a mis-trial and seven other aborted trial dates.

He put forward numerous possible defences, including self-defence and lack of intent, but never gave evidence directly to a jury.

When opening the prosecution’s case, Tracy Ayling KC had told the jury it was “clear that the defendant hated Graeme Perks” and wanted him “out of the way”.

Rachael Dean, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “Peter Brooks committed an act of extreme violence, attempting to murder a highly respected colleague.

“This was a planned, calculated attack, in which Brooks showed he was determined to kill his former boss.

“Since committing these atrocious acts, Brooks has sought to evade responsibility by any means,” she added. “Today, justice has caught up with him and he must now face the consequences of his criminal actions.

“His victim was fortunate to escape with his life and his whole family were in danger from Brooks’ inexplicable actions.

“Despite the physical and emotional trauma they have endured, they have returned to tell the court their story.

“This has been a long process and I hope that today’s conviction will help with their continued recovery from this ordeal.”