Gloucester PC Edward Dawkins fought for life after being stabbed by cannabis user with 12 inch knife
A policeman has told how he desperately fought for his life as a cannabis user attacked him with a 12-inch knife.
Pc Edward Dawkins said he was only saved by his stab vest as Christopher Leyshon ran at him with the blade above his head and knocked him to the ground.
The 6’4″ officer feared he was about to die as he wrestled with the accused before he managed to knock the weapon out of his hand.
The terrifying attack came after Leyshon’s mother dialled 999 saying her son had threatened ‘to stab the dog’.
Pc Dawkins and a female colleague responded and found Leyshon inside the house in Quedgeley, Gloucester.
The emotional officer told a jury: “He came out the door with a knife raised above his head with both his hands up above his head.
“I didn’t even hear him coming and it came very, very fast.
“He came straight out of the house holding the knife like this.”
Pc Dawkins then did a stabbing motion to the jury at Gloucester Crown Court.
He continued: “I fell backwards trying to move out the way. The knife did catch me on my nose and face. It then went onto my stab vest.”
Leyshon and Pc Dawkins fell onto the steps outside the house, before the defendant ‘came down again’.
Pc Dawkins said: “I tried to kick him away from me. I didn’t kick him very well and as my leg came over he came down again. The knife hit me very hard on the zip of the vest.
“I realised if I didn’t do something I was going to die. I flailed out my arms and legs and the next thing I know I heard the noise of the knife hitting the floor.
“He went back into the house. I went after him and restrained him on the stairs.”
Leyshon, 29, who was a regular cannabis user at the time, did not look up from his feet while the police officer gave evidence.
The court heard that the officer suffered a small cut on his right cheek, bruised chest and cuts to his elbows. His stab vest was also marked.
Prosecutor Kannan Siva said Leyshon had attacked Pc Dawkins with a 12-inch knife with a seven-inch blade.
He said: “Mr Leyshon’s mother called the police because she had serious concerns over her son’s behaviour.
“Mr Leyshon’s mother was worried her son might stab the dog with a pair of scissors.”
After arriving Pc Dawkins and his colleague found her mother outside the house.
“She said ‘I need your help. My son is mental and is threatening to stab the dog,’” Mr Siva told the court.
PC Dawkins walked up to the porch, before Leyshon poked his head through the door and said he was “fine”, and that he did not need the police, before heading inside and leaving the door ajar.
The 6ft 4in officer followed Leyshon inside and spoke to him through a semi-glazed internal door in the hallway, telling him to come outside or he would enter by force.
PC Dawkins told the jury: “I explained that we needed to speak to him and that we would force open the door.
“He replied: ‘You’re going to smash the door in are you?’, before locking the door and walking further into the house.’
“I believed that he might go and get something. I was concerned. I told my colleague and I pulled out my baton. I went out of the front door. My back was towards the door.”
He said it was then that Leyshon came running from the house with the knife.
Two psychiatric reports will be given to the court to help determine if Leyshon has paranoid schizophrenia, and whether it was brought on by cannabis use.
Leyshon, 29, denies attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent.
The trial continues.
Gloucester PC Edward Dawkins fought for life after being stabbed by cannabis user with 12 inch knife
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