A man who openly fantasised about murdering his ex-girlfriend tried to turn his twisted daydreams into reality when he subjected her to a frenzied attack in the middle of his living room.
Shaun Cotton, of Scarisbrick Road, Norris Green, repeatedly stabbed his ex- girlfriend, who the ECHO has chosen not to name, in the head, neck and upper body with a screwdriver after she refused to let him go home with her on January 15 2022.
He pleaded guilty to attempted murder at Liverpool Crown Court today, May 30.
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Prosecutor Damian Nolan told the court the victim had been in a relationship with the defendant since 2021. The relationship appeared to have started well, but it deteriorated rapidly, and the defendant seemed incapable of accepting the relationship had come to an end.
He continued: "The defendant's mother described the relationship as toxic, and it was the defendant whose actions were responsible for that toxic atmosphere. He would talk openly about murdering his ex, and said he would be prepared to serve a life sentence."
The victim was given a gold marker by Merseyside Police to show she was at high risk of domestic violence, as Cotton - who had recently been released from prison after being recalled on licence - plagued her with phone calls and threatened to smash her windows.
The court heard Cotton, 33, was ordered to stop visiting his ex's home, but he continued to call her and turn up on her doorstep uninvited.
In the early hours of January 15 2021, Cotton, his mum Rachel, were in the living room of the Cotton's Scarisbrick Road home when the victim announced she was leaving. Cotton wanted to go with her, but she refused.
Mr Nolan said: "The defendant's reaction to her saying she was going home and that he could not go with her was to threaten her. "Threats included attending her house and smashing windows. When she maintained her stance, there was an explosion of violence from the defendant."
Cotton stabbed his ex in a "frenzy" in front of his horrified mother. His ex screamed for help, and Cotton's brother Adam entered the room and tried to restrain him - but he continued to try to attack her before eventually giving up and leaving the property.
Paramedics were called and found her looking "bedraggled and bloody", with her T-shirt ripped. But Cotton's brother told them that she had simply fallen over in the kitchen.
Mr Nolan said: "It was Rachel Cotton who told Adam 'stop protecting him, he's a monster'."
The victim was taken to Aintree Hospital with multiple serious injuries, including a punctured lung, a brain injury, and a skull fracture "entirely consistent with a screwdriver through the skull".
Mr Nolan continued: "This injury alone could have been fatal and it was fortune, not design, that it was not so."
In a victim statement, the victim said Cotton had "ruined her life", and left her feeling frightened, depressed and unable to sleep. She said: "I didn't think I would ever see my children again. I truly believed I was going to die, he was going to kill me. I'm lucky to be here now."
Following his arrest, Cotton was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and is believed to have been suffering from the mental disorder at the time of the attempted murder.
Dr Pantu Xavier, a physician at Ashworth high-security psychiatric hospital in Maghull, recommended a section 37 hospital order instead of a prison sentence, with restrictions in place to protect the public from serious harm. He said: "Shaun Cotton does suffer, in my view, from paranoid schizophrenis, and that's a life-long condition. He will require support for the rest of his life and that treatment and medication is better done by mental health services, and is unlikely to be done in prison."
Frank Dillon, defending, said: "Months and months after these events, the defendant remained unwell. He was plainly severely ill at the time of the offence... It's obvious that his culpability for these dreadful matters is hugely diminished and diluted by the very fact of this illness."
Handing down an indefinite section 37 hospital order with section 41 restrictions, Judge Brian Cummings said: "There's no doubt that, if not for the mental health diagnosis and history, in this case the only appropriate dispersal would be a lengthy, if not indeterminate, prison sentence. However, I have considered the reports of two practitioners and the evidence of Dr Xavier. I'm satisfied by the evidence, and having reflected on all the circumstances of the offence, and that most appropriate dispersal is a section 37 hospital order and section 41 restriction order."
He also handed down a life-long restraining order banning Cotton from contacting his ex in future.
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