Jury in Jersey discharged in attempted murder trial

A jury in Jersey has been unable to reach a decision in the trial of a man accused of attempted murder.

48 year old Luis Abreu Dos Santos repeatedly stabbed his victim with a meat cleaver at their flat in Valley Road St Helier while their children were elsewhere in the property.

Firearms officers went to the scene and found Dos Santos with blood all over his hands. He was then taken into police custody.

The victim needed surgery following injuries to her head, arms and neck. The judge today (Friday 1 April) dismissed the jury after less that two days of deliberation, after they were unable to reach a verdict. Dos Santos denied the charge of attempted murder, but had admitted a lesser charge of grave and criminal assault and will be sentenced in June.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable James Fowler, said: “Dos Santos’ actions put his victim in grave danger.

"We would like to commend the victim for her courage, strength and bravery throughout what has been a horrendous ordeal for her.  

"SoJP has a dedicated department for investigating domestic abuse with a number of specialist resources it can call upon to investigate the crime and offer victims support.

"We are committed to ensuring that no stone is left unturned and offenders are put before the courts to pay for the crimes they commit.”