A rose copper gold kitchen knife left at the scene of an attempted murder in Hoo has led to a man being jailed for more than 16 years.
Clayton Perfect used the distinctive weapon in a vicious assault on a man before fleeing the scene.
The 22-year-old left the blade stuck in a wall inside a property and when officers carried out enquiries to find him they found a matching set of knives with one missing.
Perfect, of Charter Street, Gillingham, was sentenced on Friday 22 October 2021 at Maidstone Crown Court after admitting one charge of attempted murder and one charge of grievous bodily harm with intent.
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He was arrested on Sunday 4 October 2020, following an assault which happened at 4.45am on the same day inside a property in Hoo.
Having let himself into the home, he found the victim and attempted to stab him in the neck.
The victim was able to move out of the way, preventing Perfect from stabbing him, and instead received slash injuries to his neck. Perfect then attempted to use the weapon again but it became stuck in a wall.
He then went to the kitchen where he armed himself with another knife which he then used on a second man who he stabbed in his left arm. Perfect then attempted to stab the man for a second time but instead caused a slash injury across his chest.
He then fled the scene and was arrested by officers at 7.20am in the Barker Road area of Maidstone.
As part of the investigation, officers found a set of knives, with one missing, which perfectly matched the distinctive knife left in the wall following the assault. Officers were also able to obtain evidence of him admitting to a family member that he had ‘stabbed someone’.
Perfect was sentenced to 16 and a half years in prison and on top of his custodial sentence, was ordered to serve an additional four years on licence.
Investigating officer PC Lucas Melella said: ‘This was a vicious assault which left two victims with serious injuries and it was only sheer luck that this incident didn’t lead to a murder investigation.
‘Tackling knife crime is a priority for Kent Police and this sentence will hopefully serve as reassurance to the public that serious assaults will be investigated diligently and result in custodial sentences.’