Burglar gets life for stabbing historian

A career burglar was today jailed for life at the Old Bailey for stabbing a woman more than 19 times in her home.

Thomas Read, 24, attacked historian Amanda Girling Budd, 48, in September 2002 as she worked at her computer in her basement flat in Hackney, leaving her with internal injuries.

But as Read searched her home for property to steal, she managed to dial 999 and he fled. She received surgery for a collapsed lung and has since made a good recovery, the court heard.

Read, of Walthamstow, was cleared of attempted murder but convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and aggravated burglary.

Judge Richard Hayward told

offences were linked to alcohol. him: "I regard you as a vicious and dangerous young man. You have shown no remorse or regret for the appalling injuries you inflicted."

The court heard Read, a drug addict, had a history of violence back to the age of 14, including an attack in which he stabbed a car passenger 10 times with a screwdriver.

During the trial counsel Zoe Johnson had described how the victim had noticed Read in the basement stairwell and had gone to investigate. Ms Johnson said: "The man rushed past her into her flat and Ms Girling Budd followed and bravely struggled with the man in the hallway. He punched her and then he stabbed her 19 times in the back of the chest and abdomen and in the upper portion of her back with further stab wounds to the skull and neck. He then searched the study before leaving the flat and leaving Ms Girling Budd slumped on the floor."

Ms Girling Budd called the emergency services while Read was still in the flat, but he had left by the time paramedics arrived. Ms Johnson told the court Read's blood was found on his victim's trousers and he had left part of the knife behind at the scene.

Two months after attacking Ms Girling Budd Read was jailed for 42 months for a further burglary, handling stolen goods and deception.

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