Brett Ewins hospitalised by police

[Jimmy Baker's Assistant]

I would be happy to contribute to a Brett Ewins comic. Very happy, in fact.

[The Amstor Computer]

Trial should have been today - any news?

[Emperor]

Trial should have been today - any news?

Nope. Steve has been CCing me in on his general Brett Ewins emails and I've not had anything in the last few days (once I managed to recall what my password was - although as I was throwing permutations at it, I still don't know). When I get anything I'll pass it on, but it is doubtful there'll be any official kind of statement until the trial is over.

Just did a quick check for any reports in the news but found nothing, although it might take a little time for it to trickle down.

If nothing pops up on the radar in the next couple of days I'll give Steve a nudge.

[The Amstor Computer]

Guessing things are still silent on this front, Emperor? Wondering if the trial been continued to a later date...

[Glenn Broadway]

Just wondering, myself, if there had been any news... Guess not.

[Emperor]

Guessing things are still silent on this front, Emperor? Wondering if the trial been continued to a later date...

I've not had an update. I can drop Steve Pound a line and see what's what but he does CC me in on relevant emails so I assume there is no news. Of course, he might not wish to comment on anything in too much depth while a trial is ongoing... If the trial did start properly on June 6th it would have been over by now and we'd have heard something, so my guess is it might have been put back pending expert testimony or some such. I'll see what I can find out.

[The Amstor Computer]

I've not had an update. I can drop Steve Pound a line and see what's what but he does CC me in on relevant emails so I assume there is no news. Of course, he might not wish to comment on anything in too much depth while a trial is ongoing... If the trial did start properly on June 6th it would have been over by now and we'd have heard something, so my guess is it might have been put back pending expert testimony or some such. I'll see what I can find out.

No worries. Not sure  how things work in the English courts, but I've just been involved - as a witness - in a court case in Scotland that called in March and was continued until May with no witnesses taken, then ran again in May with only myself and one other being taken up as witnesses, was continued again until June when my wife and another gave evidence, and has now been continued again until September, and all this from an incident that happened in early July 2011! The accused in this case aren't in custody, but I'd have hoped that a speedy trial and resolution would have been possible in Brett's case.

Let us know what you hear anyway.

[Emperor]

Yes I suspect it is something exactly like that.

Let us know what you hear anyway.

As soon as I know something I'll pass it on. I emailed Steve after I posted the above note, so if there is anything going on I'm sure he'll let me know.

[CraveNoir]

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/2000ad-judge-dredd-artist-stabbed-policeman-court-told-8124839.html

2000AD Judge Dredd artist stabbed policeman, court told

London comic artist was 'sprayed with CS spray, hit twice with a truncheon and struck in the head as he resisted arrest'

An acclaimed comic strip artist who drew 2000AD's Judge Dredd stabbed a police officer with a kitchen knife after being sprayed with CS spray, hit twice with a truncheon and struck in the head as he resisted arrest, a court heard.

Brett Ewins, 56, spent three weeks in hospital after collapsing from a cardiac arrest when he was eventually restrained at his home in Hanwell, west London.

Two police officers attending an incident at a neighbouring property on January 14 entered his house to prevent a breach of the peace after hearing "shouting and ranting", Isleworth Crown Court was told.

They were confronted by Ewins allegedly wielding a four-inch kitchen knife.

To defend themselves PC Andrew McKelvie and his partner Matthew Harries sprayed Ewins with pepper spray and hit him twice on the arm but he kept coming at them, a jury heard.

Fearing for their lives one of the officer's struck Ewins around the head with his baton but still Ewins came at them, the court was told.

David Allan, prosecuting, said: "The officers sprayed him with CS spray but it had no effect. One of the officers then struck him on the arm twice with his asp but still it did not stop him.

"When the officer thought he was in imminent danger of being stabbed he struck him on the head.

"Mr Ewins stabbed towards his neck, but the officer put his arm up to try and protect himself and the knife plunged into his arm.

"It was with such force the knife was buried right up to the handle inside the officer's arm."

The court heard the injured officer was able to escape and PC Harries restrained Ewins on the floor until back up arrived.

Mr Allan continued: "As a result of that Mr Ewins suffered a cardiac arrest outside the property.

"He was given CPR by the police officers and paramedics and taken to hospital where he remained for three weeks until he made a recovery."

When Ewins, who now uses a walking stick, was interviewed about the incident he said he could not remember any of it.

The artist, who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and is on medication, is charged with grievous bodily harm with intent. He admits stabbing the officer, but claims he was acting involuntarily after being struck on the head.

An expert witness for the defence will say the blow sent him into a state of unconsciousness similar to sleepwalking so he did not know what he was doing.

Mr Allan told the jury: "The defence are not going to be suggesting that he was insane rather he did not know what he was doing.

"We say you can infer from the way he was behaving and common sense that when he stabbed this officer in the arm he intended to cause him really serious bodily harm."

The trial continues.

[Proudhuff]

shouts and rants = 'sprayed with CS spray, hit twice with a truncheon and struck in the head'     

[Dunk!]

4" kitchen knife.

"It was with such force the knife was buried right up to the handle inside the officer's arm."

Chesus!

What a tragic turn of events for all involved.

[Dark Jimbo]

shouts and rants = 'sprayed with CS spray, hit twice with a truncheon and struck in the head'     

They were confronted by Ewins allegedly wielding a four-inch kitchen knife... When the officer thought he was in imminent danger of being stabbed he struck him on the head.

Probably important not to ignore that bit, eh?

[TordelBack]

shouts and rants = 'sprayed with CS spray, hit twice with a truncheon and struck in the head'     

They were confronted by Ewins allegedly wielding a four-inch kitchen knife... When the officer thought he was in imminent danger of being stabbed he struck him on the head.

Probably important not to ignore that bit, eh?

Nor the bit about two officers forcibly entering his home.  I've had this happen to me (more than twwo, and armed), and my reactions were not what you might call rational, and my only mental impairment at the time was being asleep.   

It's a shitty situation all round, not least because an officer doing a bloody difficult job was stabbed and a personal hero of mine was sprayed, beaten and stressed to the point of cardiac arrest, but I don't think there's any point us trying to break it down into right and wrong: that's the court's job.  It's all crap.

[Professor Bear]

I, for one, am shocked that two men invading the home of an elderly man with mental problems ended badly, but in the defence of the police officers involved, Brett Ewins does kind of look like a Brazilian electrician.

[opaque]

Apart from the fact that the Brazillian Electrician didn't actually do anything. Unfortunately Brett did.