Wife's 999 call played at trial of Southwell plastic surgeon accused of attempted murder

The wife of a doctor accused of trying to kill his colleague told a 999 call operator that she saw blood around their home as she reported her husband missing, a court has heard.

Jonathan Peter Brooks, who goes by his middle name Peter, is on trial at Nottingham Crown Court accused of the attempted murder of Graeme Perks in the early hours of January 14 2021 after Mr Perks provided statements to a lockdown disciplinary hearing against Dr Brooks.

It is alleged the defendant "hated" Mr Perks and he is accused of stabbing him at his family home in Halam Hill, Halam.

The court heard how his wife Joanne Brooks noticed what appeared to be blood on the floor, on hand towels and light switches.

Mrs Brooks could be heard saying in the recorded phone call to emergency services that, "there is a high level of stress" as she explained her depressed husband had gone missing sometime overnight.

Dr Brooks, a consultant surgeon with a specialism in burns and plastics, did not take any vehicles and his wife initially thought he had gone for an early morning walk but that was not the case, the court heard.

There was what appeared to be blood in the garage and he had not taken his wallet or phone with him, the jury was told.

After calling King's Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield and Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre, she established he had not been admitted, the court heard.

"We don't have any family in the area and he has not been seeing his friends for a long time. He is a doctor by profession and has been incredibly safe during Covid.

"Obviously my concern is he has hurt himself and taken himself off somewhere," she said in the call.

Giving a description of Dr Brooks, aged 56, of Landseer Road, Southwell, she said he was six-foot, one inch in height, of heavy build, and has a number 1 crop on his grey hair, a scar on his neck, brown eyes and no glasses.

He had not been working as a doctor at the QMC for six years. He was registered as an employee but had been suspended for 18 months, the jury was told.As Mrs Brooks was on the phone, the court heard the operator got a report of an incident in Southwell where a male had been found asleep and had said he was "a doctor and was going to lose his job". The caller was told to ring 111 or an ambulance and this was around 8am on 14 January, 2021.

Meanwhile, an officer had been sent to the Brooks' address to do a search, the court heard.

The jury was told Dr Brooks was found asleep on a bench and was subsequently taken to hospital where he was arrested and photographs were taken of his cut right hand.

Brooks, who is representing himself at trial, has pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempted murder, attempted arson with intent to endanger the lives of Mr Perks and the alleged victim's wife and son, and possession of a knife in a public place.

The trial continues.